Launched at a special event in Anuradhapura, ‘Kiri Govi Diriya’ (which means dairy farmer development) commits to 150 training and development programs for 3,000 dairy farmers, and provides 150 farmers with milking equipment to help develop their business.
Shivani Hegde, managing director for Nestlé, said the company wants to reaffirm its commitment to its local dairy farmers through the program, saying it, “…will positively impact the farmers we work with daily, strengthening our efforts to develop the local dairy industry, contribute to its prosperity, and ultimately, enhance our farmers’ quality of life.”
Improving local milk production
Because Sri Lanka’s dairy industry is still an emerging one, where local milk production does not meet total market demand, Nestlé has been working with the authorities since the early 1980s to help develop it.
The company says it hopes to not only increase the supply and quality of milk but also provide local farmers a sustainable livelihood.
In addition to establishing milk collection points and milk chilling centers, Nestlé holds training and development programs for farmers on a range of technical topics and best practices, including cattle feeding and breeding, and animal health and farm management.
It also provides financial assistance to develop dairy farms, promotes artificial insemination for breeding high-yield cows, and facilitates mobile veterinary clinics with the government.
Nestlé is currently Sri Lanka’s largest private sector collector of fresh milk. In 2015, the company’s procurement of fresh milk amounted to Rs. 3.6bn ($24.6m).