Delivering greater dairy farm profitability in Kenya

After boosting farm profitability and productivity since 2022, a new partnership is taking the Dairy Hub project in Kiambu County to the next level.

The Dairy Hub project, supported by Tetra Pak East Africa and Tetra Pak Food for Development, ensures Tetra Pak’s customer – Githunguri Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society (GDFCS) – receives a reliable supply of quality milk from local smallholder farmers. The hub provides farmers with a stable market and hands-on technical training.

Between September 2022 and December 2024, the hub increased farm profitability by 26%, milk yield per cow by 17%, milk collected per farm by 92%, and the margin above feed cost by 103%, while the amount of rejected milk was reduced by 71%.

Boosting profitability and quality

Following the success of the Dairy Hub project, the partners launched a new two-year Public-Private-Development Partnership (PPDP) – Pathways to Profitable Dairy Farming – in May 2025. The initiative brings together Tetra Pak, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), GDFCS and the Kenya Dairy Board, with US$ 3.5 million in funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

The programme aims to make dairy farming more profitable through increased milk production, raise milk quality, promote environmentally sustainable farming practices, and expand opportunities for women and youth across the dairy value chain. A key milestone will be the creation of a Dairy Academy to serve as a centre of excellence for farm advisors and smallholder farmers. Early results are promising, with GDFCS milk deliveries growing from 90,000 to 250,000 litres per day and a projection of 350,000 litres by 2027.

“Building the capacity of customers via farm advisors and smallholder farmers through targeted training and collaboration is essential for creating a sustainable and inclusive dairy industry in Kenya,” said Jonathan Kinisu, Managing Director at Tetra Pak East Africa.

Over the next two years, the project plans to train more than 10,000 smallholder farmers in animal health, farm management, business skills and sustainable practices to strengthen long-term resilience.

New initiative in Pakistan to tackle childhood malnutrition

Tetra Pak has supported its customer Fauji Foods to establish a Sustainable School Nutrition Programme to combat child malnutrition and improve academic achievement throughout Pakistan.

Launched in February 2025, the initiative will deliver nutrient-­rich UHT milk in aseptic packaging to thousands of school children nationwide. As UHT milk does not require refrigeration and has a long shelf life, it can be easily stored and transported in areas with limited infrastructure.

Child malnutrition remains a major public health challenge in Pakistan. The 2018 National Nutrition Survey reported that 40% of children under five were stunted, 20% wasted and 11.4% under­weight, with anaemia affecting over half of adolescent girls. Milk can be part of the solution, providing essential nutrients such as calcium and protein.

Nourishing young bodies and minds

Through the programme, 42,000 children at 118 schools across more than 100 towns will receive milk, with Fauji Foods providing around 160,000 litres each month. Ongoing child health assess­ments will track key child health metrics to measure the progress and impact of the programme. Besides improving nutrition, the Sustainable School Nutrition Programme will strengthen communities by promoting child health, learning and long-term development.

In addition, the programme includes public awareness campaigns on the benefits of UHT milk, the creation of resilient supply chains and transparent data reporting to guide broader policy efforts. Tetra Pak is contributing technical expertise and global best practices to promote success.

Securing long-term impact

“Safe and healthy milk is a wonderful way to provide nourishment to young school children, fostering better health and encouraging school attendance,” said Awasin Bin Nasim, Managing Director, Tetra Pak Pakistan. “It is also crucial that the milk remains safe from bacteria and contamination. This is made possible through both UHT treatment and aseptic packaging technology, which maintains the milk’s nutritional integrity and safety without chemicals or preservatives, even when no refrigeration is available.”