Arusha — EAST African Community (EAC) partner states have been urged to improve quality of investment in dairy products in a bid to improve the regional subsector.

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) East and Southern Africa Regional Director Sara Mbago-Bhunu said on Monday that region was still grappling with malnutrition and stunting due to minimal investment in the dairy sector.

“Not only from a productivity perspective, but also from a social, nutritional and environmental returns, building farmer resilience, contributing to emissions reductions while creating jobs,” suggested the IFAD regional Director at a stakeholders’ workshop on the Pathways to Dairy Net Zero in East Africa.

She further noted that the world was off track towards reaching its Sustainable

Development Goal target 2 on hunger and malnutrition, saying at least 3.1 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021.

“The most expensive of the food groups is animal-sourced foods, priced on average at $0.87 for the daily quantity needed in a healthy diet,” she said. Bunu said the region’s dairy industry remains vulnerable to climate change despite being one of the fastest growing and most dynamic agricultural sub-sectors in East Africa.

“Climate change is having an increasing impact on the sector. Drought conditions are becoming longer and more frequent, reducing livestock productivity, grazing and forage availability and because it impacts the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers who depend on

IFAD is the Green Climate Fund (GCF) accredited agency for East Africa’s Net Zero Dairy Pathway.

Promoting Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Livestock in East Africa (PADNET) programme.

Her development and policy adviser, Brian Baldwin, noted that the dairy sector shares common concerns about climate change and the importance of reducing greenhouse gas intensity.

He said that’s why the private sector has chosen to be part of a program that meets East Africa’s goals of better production and more nutritious milk for rural and urban consumers. “So think about what you’re going to feed your animals: nutrient-dense pasture, reducing methane intensity, while providing ample supply of high-fat milk to make better yogurt and cheese.” ‘, he added.