The dairy industry in Sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to grow significantly. The demand for milk and dairy products is rising because of the region’s growing population. The region also has several strengths, including a favorable climate for dairy production and a large pool of potential dairy farmers.

Small-scale dairy farming dominates the milk production system in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over 80 percent of milk produced comes from these small-scale dairy farmers. If well developed, milk production can generate employment and stable income to millions of farmers. It also contributes to fight against food insecurity and malnutrition in the region. Dairy production faces multiple challenges in SSA as in other developing countries. Most of them are related to the dairy industry itself while others are shared with other industries in the agricultural sector.

The progress of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP): “only 5 out of 55 African countries currently on track to reduce undernutrition to 5 percent or less by 2025,” and “only seven countries are on track to meet the CAADP goal of doubling agricultural productivity by 2025.”