The project “Consulting services in the dairy value chain in the district Kurgantepa (region Andijan)” was part of the overall GIZ/BMZ project “Ecological suistainable promotion of economic development in selected regions of Uzbekistan”.

Key activities of the consultancy service in the dairy value chain in the district Kurgantepa were the provision of advisory services and vocational training for small- and medium-sized milk producers on all aspects of dairy farming, including advisory services and vocational training on milk collection, milk processing and new innovative milk products, technical assistance and institution building related to group actions / cooperative models of farmers.

Until 2016, due to the consultancy service the following results were achieved:

• Milk production in the district Kurgantepa was increased by 20% and the income increased through the increased purchase of quality milk. The percentage of milk delivered to dairies was increased. Delivered amount of processable raw milk increased significantly (e.g. by 70% in the dairy plant Oq Suv)
• Raw milk quality (bacteria count) of many dairy farms was improved. Importance of high milking hygiene standards and cooling provisions was stressed.
  
• Technologies for the production of innovative milk products (hard and curd cheese, joghurt, mozzarella etc.) were demonstrated and tried out. The dairy plant Oq Suv has already started to produce and trade new milk products in small quantities. Amount will be increased as raw milk delivery increases sustainably.
  
• A few hundred dairy farmers in the district Kurgantepa were trained on milk hygiene and milk quality management, dairy cow feeding, calf rearing, reproduction management, fodder production and conservation. Training material in Uzbek language was produced.
  
• A technical brochure on “Milk processing and the manufacture of innovative dairy products was produced in Uzbek language. Two additional technical brochures for dairy farmers were produced, one on “Milk Hygiene and Milk Quality Management” and one on “Dairy Cow Feeding “. 1350 copies were printed in Uzbek language.
  
• One of three planned milk collection centres was started to be built in Siaya (25,000 € investment costs for the building). Start of the milk collection and cooling and the service point for equipment was planned for 2017. The second milk collection centre in Dardak was in planning.