Dairy Sector Sees Rapid Growth nearly Doubling Milk Production: Ministry of Agriculture

Addis Ababa, March 10, 2025 (ENA)— Ethiopia's dairy sector has seen transformative growth, with milk production doubling to 12 billion liters and crossbred cattle numbers rising eight fold in three years under the "Bounty of the Basket" (Yelemat Tirufat) initiative.

This achievement highlights the country’s ongoing efforts to boost food security, improve smallholder farmers' livelihoods, and drive agricultural productivity, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Ethiopia's State Minister of Agriculture Fikru Regassa said the significant progress of "Bounty of the Basket", while emphasizing ongoing efforts to address challenges like animal feed shortages and infrastructure development.

Since its launch, the initiative has led to substantial growth in dairy production, largely due to targeted crossbreeding programs and improved agricultural practices, which operate across four major agricultural clusters.

Most importantly, "Bounty of the Basket" initiative has significantly increased both the number of high-yield dairy animals and overall milk production, the state minister added.

According to the state minister, before the launch of the initiative, we can just look at the number of crossbreed animals that we were doing every year. It was about 500,000 animals that were crossed per year.

And in the first year of the "Bounty of the Basket", it's 1.2 million animals, which is double. In the second year, we planned 2.4 million, and we succeeded. And this year, the third year of the initiative, we planned 3.8 million animals to be crossbred, and we are now at 2 million.

As part of the initiative, Ethiopia’s annual milk production has nearly doubled, climbing from 5.8 billion liters to a projected 12 billion liters, demonstrating the impact of improved breeding techniques, better feed availability, and farmer capacity-building efforts, he elaborated.

This surge in production is attributed to better breeding techniques, improved feed availability, and comprehensive capacity-building efforts for farmers.

The state minister also emphasized that to sustain this rapid expansion, Ethiopia has invested heavily in infrastructure and technological advancements, pointing that one key development has been the establishment of local liquid nitrogen production facilities, crucial for artificial insemination programs.

Ethiopia has acquired five new processing units, with two already operational and three more in the installation phase, ensuring a reliable supply for nationwide crossbreeding activities and by the end of this year, the total number of liquid nitrogen plants will reach 10, he stated.

The initiative also aims to strengthen milk processing and distribution. Farmers are being integrated into cooperatives and unions to enhance market participation.

Local processing plants have been established to produce dairy products like yogurt, cheese, and butter, while larger-scale processing facilities in cities such as Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, and Awassa support broader distribution networks.

New plants have been set up in strategic locations such as Gondar, Bahir Dar, and Jigjiga, reducing reliance on centralized supply hubs and cutting transportation costs.

The state minister noted, “We are ensuring that farmers have access to affordable, high-quality animal feed in all regions, which is crucial for sustaining milk production and supporting the growing population of crossbred cattle.”

With increased milk availability, dairy consumption has risen, contributing to the fight against malnutrition and childhood stunting. "Households now have access to nutritious dairy products such as milk and eggs, significantly improving their dietary intake,” he added.

Empowering cooperatives and unions is crucial for local producers to drive industry growth," stated the state minister. "We prioritize foreign investment alongside ensuring our farmers have the tools to expand their contributions."

The success of the "Bounty of the Basket" (Yelemat Tirufat) initiative is revolutionizing Ethiopia's dairy sector, establishing a robust foundation for sustainable agricultural development. Through strategic partnerships, infrastructure enhancements, and innovative policies, Ethiopia is making significant strides towards food security and economic prosperity, serving as a model for agricultural transformation in Africa, he emphasized.

To accelerate dairy sector growth, a high-level workshop convened today at ILRI in Addis Ababa where stakeholders, policymakers, researchers, and private sector leaders collaborated to develop a unified national strategy.

ILRI Senior Scientist Gebregziabher Gebreyohanes highlighted the forum's goal was to foster synergies among sector institutions.

According to the scientist, this board would provide crucial oversight and strategic direction, ensuring sector stability and expansion.

Gebregziabher also emphasized ILRI's ongoing partnership with the government to enhance dairy quality across all indicators.