Hodeida - Saba
The project to localize the milk industry in Hodeidah governorate represented an important step to stimulate the activity of livestock and livestock breeders, improve their standard of living, and contribute to increasing milk production, in order to achieve self-sufficiency in food security.
Given the wealth of livestock in the Tihama region to achieve self-sufficiency in dairy products, which is expected to cover the needs of the local market, the revolutionary leadership and the Political Council paid attention to this project to reduce the import bill for dairy products.
The efforts of the leadership of the local authority and the relevant authorities were directed to implement the work of the leadership's directives, raise the level of follow-up to see the conditions of milk producers, and provide them with the necessary support to encourage local production, reduce the import bill, and contribute to helping livestock breeders from poor families.
Providing devices and equipment:
The concerned authorities have started to provide milk quality devices to the associations, implement training courses for producers and cooperative associations, familiarize and train them to use them, and apply the proper and correct methods of milk collection.
The Ministry of Economy and Industry contributed to the supervision and follow-up of the process of supplying local milk to factories and agricultural associations in the governorate through local producers in the Tihama Plain, in implementation of the leadership's directives by purchasing their milk products.
The Supreme Council for the Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and International Cooperation, in coordination with humanitarian partners, also contributed to supporting this project, providing equipment and supplies for the dairy factory and collection centers, and supporting farmers.
The support for the dairy factory project included dairy production lines, production of cans and lids, components of collection centers, refrigerated transportation, refrigerated refrigerators, solar energy, and pumps, at a total cost of $954,121.
Joint efforts:
All efforts have been combined to implement the country's strategy to achieve sustainable development by supporting local production, increasing milk production, and supporting farmers to reach self-sufficiency through the implementation of projects, interventions and activities to enhance resilience in Yemen.
The Higher Agricultural and Fisheries Committee and the Agricultural Services Corporation focused on implementing a matrix of activities and interventions, in cooperation with the parties that contributed to their support, funding, and backing to make the national strategy for localizing the local milk and dairy products industry a success.
The indicators of supporting this sector were evident on the way to achieving the desired goals of this national project in increasing production, encouraging farmers to raise livestock, and covering the local market with this product, instead of importing it from abroad.
Fruitful directions and activities:
Among these activities is the implementation of the national dairy value chain program as a successful experiment according to a well-thought-out plan, coinciding with the launch of the strategy to localize the milk industry under the auspices of the President of the Supreme Political Council, and providing financial support to milk producers at 130 riyals per liter.
These efforts are part of the national vision to reduce the import bill for milk and its derivatives, which exceeds $333 million annually, in light of the country's food gap of 82 percent, as Yemen needs more than two million tons per year to meet the population's needs for imported milk.
Within the framework of qualifying representatives of milk production associations and cow breeders, the first steps began with the training of 56 people, five people from each association, by the dairy factories, on how to follow good breeding practices and health care for cows, as well as health requirements for milking and milk transportation.
To ensure the follow-up and qualification of producers, 120 people representing the two associations and producers were trained and qualified on the use of appropriate equipment and how to properly preserve and receive milk.
Direct support:
The cow lending agreement between the Supreme Agricultural and Fisheries Committee and the Public Authority for Insurance and Pensions played an important role; 25 disabled beneficiaries were lent 50 cows in Al-Durayhimi district, and 37 disabled beneficiaries were lent about 70 cows in Al-Mansouriya district.
The associations were loaned seven refrigerated transportation vehicles to preserve the quality of milk, although these vehicles do not fully cover transportation needs. Preparations have been made to lend another 150 disabled beneficiaries productive cows.
The coordination efforts and steps taken by the Ministry of Industry to increase the quantities of milk production - during the current period - and expand the capacity to receive milk in the governorate's factories was a great incentive to raise the efficiency of local milk production.
These efforts crystallized in the agreement to unify the quantities of milk supplied daily to the three dairy factories (Nadfood, Yamani and Nana), after holding a meeting with the milk supplying associations, the branch of the Agricultural Cooperative Union in Hodeidah Governorate, and the Services Corporation to sign an agreement to distribute the quantities of milk equally among the associations.
Production indicators:
The results achieved within the dairy chain in Hodeidah began with the adoption of the national strategy to localize the milk and dairy products industry on August 16, 2023, after the government decision was issued in July 2023, which stipulates supporting milk producers with a price difference of 130 riyals per liter; where the price of a liter of milk is 450 riyals to be purchased in factories at 320 riyals, with the allocation of 130 riyals as a subsidy from the government, deducted from the sales tax for factories according to a specific mechanism.
Among the most prominent indicators of success achieved after the government support, the number of milk producers and beneficiaries of the project increased from 1,220 beneficiaries to 6,400 beneficiaries, as well as the number of productive cows from 4,186 cows to about 20,000 cows.
In terms of daily milk production, a significant increase has been achieved to more than 111,000 liters per day, up from 16,000-17,000 liters in the early stages of the National Strategy for Local Milk Localization project.
Milk collection centers:
As part of the efforts to preserve milk from spoilage, due to the long distances, the scarcity of refrigerated transportation, in addition to the high temperatures in Hodeidah Governorate, which increases the risk of milk spoiling quickly, model milk reception centers were established, and refrigerated transportation was provided, and the step began with the establishment of two centers in Beit Al-Faqih and Al-Mansuriyah by the General Organization for Agricultural Services.
These centers represented an important step to receive milk from the Agricultural Cooperative Union, where the Foundation will prepare the facilities and their requirements, operate them, manage them until the associations mature, and then hand them over to the associations, provided that the cooperative associations are absorbed in a number of milk-producing districts in Hodeidah Governorate, such as: Marawah, Bagil, Saleef, Dahi, Drehimi, Sukhna, Mansuriyah, and Beit Al Faqih, in several phases.
Future visions:
In this context, the First Deputy Governor of Hodeidah Governorate, Ahmed Mahdi Al-Bishri, pointed out that the people of Tihama, just as they were able to withstand the aggression and blockade - during the past years - and stood in front of the ambitions of the invaders and occupiers militarily, they will stand in front of them economically, considering Tihama the food basket of Yemen.
He emphasized the keenness to support the state's efforts to promote the milk and dairy production sector, and to exploit the opportunities and possibilities available to encourage producers and raise the level of local production.
He explained that the strategy to localize milk will contribute to economic development and reduce imports, given the availability of local ingredients that require directing resources towards local milk production.
Al-Bishri praised the efforts exerted by the relevant authorities to encourage local production and move towards development paths in all sectors, including the dairy industry, as well as the development of production stages, up to export.
He noted that Tihama needs more attention to develop livestock, which is an economic asset, if all capabilities are harnessed to benefit from it, especially in the field of dairy products to reduce the import bill of dairy products.
He touched on the attention paid by the Leader of the Revolution and the President of the Political Council to dairy producers, and support this sector to achieve the desired goals.
He considered the state's interest in livestock and support for producers as one of the most important pillars of facing the economic challenges in light of the exceptional circumstances the country is going through.
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