Zambia Milk for Schools pilot programme 2011-2012
Children in Zambia receive 250ml of locally produced UHT milk two-three times per week through the Milk for Schools pilot programme. The project was initiated by Tetra Pak and is implemented in partnership with SIDA, WFP, Parmalat, the Zambian Government and local stakeholders.
Tetra Pak and World Food Programme Zambia (WFP) jointly approached the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and proposed a school milk partnership in Zambia as a collaboration within the new Business 4 Development Programme, a programme that supports initiatives involving donors as well as the private sector. Based on the TetraPak/WFP proposal, the Swedish Embassy in Zambia allocated USD 521,833 to co-finance the “Milk for Schools” pilot project in Eastern Province, Nyimba District.
WFP is implementing the milk programme as an integrated part of the recently launched and government led Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programme, which is included in the Sixth National Development Plan as part of the government's social protection strategy. The HGSF aims to reach almost one million students in 2011. The one-year Milk for Schools pilot programme initially covered 15,000 students in grades 1-9 and has grown to cover 18,000 children due to increased enrolments. Two-three times every week students in 39 schools receive 250 ml of milk in TBA250 cartons, processed and packaged by Tetra Pak’s customer Parmalat Zambia
The HGSF and the Milk for Schools programme was launched in Nyimba on June 16, 2011, the same week as milk distribution started in schools. The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development (MoLFD), which is the responsible ministry for the milk programme, also arranged a launch meeting in Lusaka July 20, 2011. Both events were covered in Zambian media (see attached article in Zambia Daily Mail).
The Milk for Schools pilot project aims to provide a market for the smallholder dairy sector, diversify the agricultural sector and create a demand for high quality locally produced milk. This will be achieved by testing a feasible, affordable and cost effective model of providing milk to school going children which could eventually be scaled up nationally. MoLFD has already indicated an interest to continue and expand the Milk for Schools programme and has decided to start a government funded Milk for Schools project in Mpika district. A parent-paid Milk for Schools programme in private schools is also planned.
Zambia has one of the lowest milk consumption rates in sub-Sahara Africa at less than 10 litres per capita per annum. It is expected that this pilot project will not only lead to increased per capita milk consumption and economic growth along the value chain but also allow smallholder dairy farmers to improve their livelihoods and ability to invest further in milk production. All milk for the programme is sourced from Zambian small holder dairy farmers.
In addition, the Milk for Schools pilot project will help to increase school attendance and improve the health and academic results of school children, leading to general productivity improvements for the entire country.
The Milk for Schools pilot project is implemented in partnership between:
- Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Health
- National Food and Nutrition Commission
- World Food Programme Zambia
- Swedish International Development Cooperating Agency
- USAID PROFIT
- Tetra Pak
- Parmalat
- Dairy Association of Zambia
The total programme costs over USD1 million, of which Tetra Pak and its partners contributes half and SIDA the other half. Much of the cost covers technical assistance for developing implementation and monitoring routines and development of a sustainable model to be rolled out across the country. The active involvement of the private sector is crucial for the programme to be sustainable.
Tetra Pak South Africa and Food for Development Office’s contributions include assistance in: establishing a “Milk for Schools” Programme Implementation Committee chaired by the MoAL and formulating its Terms of Reference; preparing packaging material design and providing incentive based subsidies to the programme; developing and financing of training material for school staff and education authorities; preparing a custom-made programme implementation manual; preparing data collection forms to ensure accountability of milk stock, as well as to provide a foundation to measure programme impact; and implementing joint monitoring missions to targeted schools in collaboration with WFP and Ministry of Education. In addition, programme assessments will be implemented. The initial feedback from schools and children is very positive. Children appreciate the milk very much and head masters say they have seen improvements in attendance. Several headmasters say that milk is served random days so that children come to school every day and not just on milk days.
Sida has agreed to extend the Nyimba pilot project until end of 2012.
For more information please contact our Food for development office