TANZANIA – Tanzania’s School Milk Feeding Program (SMFP), an initiative focused on improving the nutrition of schoolchildren, is currently benefiting 100,000 students in 140 primary and secondary schools across the country.
This achievement was announced by Joseph Semu, Acting Marketing Manager of the Tanzania Dairy Board (TDB), during a recent visit to the Mbeya region to assess the program’s progress.
The SMFP is a five-year project launched by the Tanzania Dairy Board (TDB) in 2023, which started in eight regions.
The program is set to expand to 625 schools by 2027, targeting students aged 4 to 19 years. The plan is to add 100 schools every year during the five-year implementation period.
Semu highlighted the importance of the program and noted that it is being implemented in partnership with small-scale milk processors in the Mbeya region.
In Mbeya, Rungwe and Busoleko councils, local processors are producing an average of 240,000 liters of milk daily, which is sufficient to provide each student with a daily cup of milk.
The milk provided to students comes in various forms, such as pasteurized milk, UHT milk, cultured milk, or yoghurt, depending on the region’s available infrastructure.
The quantity of milk distributed ranges from 150 to 200 milliliters per student daily. Efforts are also underway to encourage parents to contribute money to help sustain the program.
Semu explained that the program plays a crucial role in improving school enrollment and reducing absenteeism. By providing nutritious milk to students, the program helps to prevent hunger and supports better learning by enhancing cognitive abilities.
“When children are in school and nourished, they can focus on their studies and perform better,” he said.
Dr. Samora Mshang, the Mbeya Regional Veterinary Officer, emphasized the importance of modernizing dairy farming practices in the region to ensure high-quality milk production.
He said the collaboration with the TDB would continue, with efforts to train dairy farmers on improving milk production standards.
A student from Mwenge Primary School, Reuben Fred, expressed his gratitude on behalf of his peers, acknowledging the positive impact the program has had on their daily lives.
However, he urged the TDB to secure more funding to ensure that all students benefit equally from the program.
Lightness Shibone, the Acting Regional Nutrition Officer, added that community engagement is key to the program’s success, particularly in addressing malnutrition and stunting.
She emphasized the importance of educating communities on the benefits of milk consumption for children’s health and development.
To expand the program and meet its objectives, the Tanzania Dairy Board estimates that it will require approximately 15 billion Tanzanian shillings.
The program involves a wide range of stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC), and various dairy processors like Tanga Fresh Limited, ASA Dairies Limited, and Heifer International.
School milk feeding programs in Tanzania began in the early 2000s and have seen varying success.
The most recent program reached a peak of 125 schools and 99,000 children, but challenges such as limited coverage and accessibility to dairy products have prevented the program from reaching its full potential.
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