As part of its special initiative ONE WORLD – No Hunger, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has established green innovation centres in 14 partner countries for German development cooperation. The aim of the centres is to use innovation in the agriculture and food sector to increase regional food supplies, boost the income of smallholders, and to create more employment opportunities, particularly in the area of food processing. In the partner countries Zambia, Tunisia and Kenya milk is a prioritized value chain and supported with diverse projects. In India, particular measures are taking place to promote the milk value chain through training centers.

The “Working Group Dairy” was initiated in the framework of this global project to strengthen the exchange and cooperation between the countries and to develop synergies on the dairy value chain. ADT Project Consulting GmbH was commissioned by GIZ to provide technical support to the WG Dairy throughout the main phase of the programme from 2016-2018 and in two consecutive short phases in 2019.

The Working Group was focusing on the knowledge and information transfer via technical events, study tours, training opportunities and the online platform “Global Campus”. Specific objectives were to establish an active network for cross-country learning, facilitate knowledge sharing across projects, foster collaboration and cooperation among countries (South-South), Link up with German and international institutions that promote milk production, processing and marketing (North-South), and foster the transfer of proven innovations to other countries (up scaling and dissemination of best practices).

Key technical issues of common interest were: entrepreneurship skills in the milk value chain, milk hygiene, forage production (incl business model), dairy extension, training and dissemination, milk payment, producer group organisation, processing equipment, artificial insemination services and the development of the dairy value chain for small scale producers in short, medium and long term perspectives.

In 2019, the Working Group Dairy was reorganized to a GIAE Dairy Expert Group (GDEG) emphasizing training, cross-border learning and expert advice through the building of an expert pool and the initiation of an expert hotline. GDEG‘s membership was formalized with 20-25 members from the three countries Tunisia, Kenya and Zambia with a GDEG chair and country specific focal points.