The director of Rwanda Animal Resource Development Authority (RARDA) Dr Theogéne Rutagwenda has urged the private sector to invest more in dairy farming.

He wants more milk collection centers to be constructed in order to address the supply side of milk in the country  - something he believes the private sector can do.

He said, "The private sector should come up with an initiative to have dairy products like yoghurt, ghee, cheese in order to clear milk outputs,”

He added that Rwanda is importing milk yet its own output is not catered for which could hurt the dairy sector’s progress in the long run.

This comes at a time when milk production has increase d yet there is insufficient capacity to handle its processing, marketing and distribution countrywide.

There are only 18 milk collection centers operational in the whole country and 16 more that are still under construction, yet the country needs at least about 20 centers in every province.

However, Rutagwenda is optimistic about the on going construction of a dairy plant in Nyagatare which is expected to be finalized in March this year and is expected to handle 30,000 litres per day.

Improved standards of milk handling could also encourage the peasants to have more milk productive cows since it would ensure ready and steady market for their products.

"Increasing milk production in the country therefore needs the attention of the Private Sector Federation to have high quality milk output with ready market,” he said.

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