BURUNDI – Kerry, one of the world’s leading taste and nutrition company has partnered with the United Nations World Food Programme to launch Project Amata in Burundi, aimed to enhance the production and availability of safe, sustainable milk for children and communities.
The project will be supported by a direct financial contribution of US$750,000 from the Irish company, aimed to improve food security and nutrition by strengthening the milk value chain.
Over the course of the three-year programme, Kerry experts and WFP staff will work together with farmers and the local community to build milk production capacity.
Much-needed equipment and training will be provided, covering key areas of livestock management and milk production.
Further to that, the initiative will engage schools and local communities to raise awareness about the important role milk has in curbing malnutrition.
In Burundi, children receive on average just two cups of milk per month – the lowest frequency of milk consumption in east Africa
“We are delighted to be able to share our dairy, processing and nutrition expertise on Project Amata. This is an example of how Kerry, WFP and local agencies can work together towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger.
“It also provides a further concrete example of our ‘Better for Society’ social impact programme in action, helping to improve the health and nutrition of people in need,” said Edmond Scanlon, Chief Executive Kerry Group.
Project Amata builds on the success of the previous WFP and Kerry partnership, Project Leche, which helped Honduran farmers create a safer and more sustainable milk supply, nourishing the health of over 7,500 thousand Honduran children, as well as enhancing economic opportunity and better living conditions for the community.
In Burundi, 65 percent of people live below the poverty line and chronic malnutrition affects over half the population.
Children are often the most affected, as the lack of regular nutritious food and poor dietary diversity makes them vulnerable to infections and seriously undermines their performance at school.
Milk is one of the few sources of animal protein available to children in Burundi, but on average children receive just two cups per month – the lowest frequency of milk consumption in east Africa.
For the 11 million people in Burundi, these challenges add up, affecting personal development as well as the country’s economic and social development.
Other than the recent support by Kerry and WFP, the country has signed a public sector loan agreement with OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) worth US$20 million, to co-finance a project that will improve food security, expand access to marketplaces and social services, and strengthen the resilience of agricultural production systems.
The project, ‘Agricultural Production Intensification and Vulnerability Reduction Project in Burundi’, is co-financed by the government of Burundi, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Programme.
