Moshi. As unemployment continues to challenge many Tanzanians, women in Mwika North Ward, Moshi District, Kilimanjaro Region, have shared how dairy farming and milk sales are transforming their livelihoods and improving the well-being of their families.
The women, who keep dairy cattle and sell milk to the Kondiki Milk Processing Plant located in the ward, say they earn over Sh1 million every month from milk sales — income that allows them to meet their households’ needs and pay school fees for their children.
They spoke at the weekend when 12 ambassadors from the European Union (EU) visited the factory to witness its operations. The plant collects more than 7,000 litres of milk every day from local farmers.
A dairy farmer from Lyasongoro Village, Ms Joyce Mnyenye, said the factory has been a lifeline for them because previously they had no formal market for their milk and were forced to give it away for free in their neighbourhoods.
“The existence of this factory has encouraged us to take dairy farming seriously. Now, every month we receive over Sh1 million depending on our production levels,” she said.
She explained that the more effort one puts into dairy farming, the more they earn, since the factory purchases milk at Sh1,000 per litre.
“This factory has greatly benefited us farmers. Before it was built, we had no market for our milk. Now we sell it here, earn money, and can educate our children and cover other family expenses,” she said.
“We now have a guaranteed income because at the end of each month we go to the factory to collect payment according to the amount of milk we supplied. With that money we take care of our families and invest in development activities,” Ms Mnyenye added.
She said she milks 35 litres per day, selling them for Sh1,000 each, which allows her to earn around Sh700,000 monthly. “Women in this village now have stable jobs. We work day and night to ensure we maximise production,” she said.
Another farmer, Ms Lucy Moshi, said dairy farming has enabled her to secure a reliable income, start a small business outside livestock keeping, and even build a modern house.
“Since I started selling milk to this factory, my life has changed. I can now meet my family’s needs without relying on anyone’s support,” she said.
Factory manager Adrian Kimario said the plant currently serves more than 1,500 farmers from various areas in Moshi and Rombo districts. This has significantly increased milk production.
“When we started operations in 2018, we were only collecting 1,500 litres per day. Today, we collect 7,000 litres, thanks to close collaboration with farmers and our training on modern production techniques,” he said.
Mr Kimario expressed optimism that production will continue to rise as they keep training farmers, providing expert advice, and improving dairy practices. “In the coming years, production could double, bringing even greater benefits to farmers,” he said.
He added that the factory has created a reliable market for locally produced milk and provides formal employment to 50 residents in the surrounding areas.
The European Union Ambassador to Tanzania, Christine Grau, commended the factory’s efforts to improve production and support farmers, particularly women and young people.
She pledged continued EU cooperation with Tanzania to create a more enabling business environment.
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