| dc.description |
Identifying and implementing interventions that create co-benefits in terms of food and nutrition security as well
as food safety requires an interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach. This study was part of a larger project
that applied an integrated framework for combined nutritional, food safety and value chain analysis to assess the
dairy value chain in two regions of Tanzania, namely Morogoro and Tanga. Here, we report on the use of
participatory rural appraisals (PRAs) with producers and consumers to investigate seasonality, constraints and
opportunities in cow milk production and consumption in ten villages in Tanzania and describe attitudes and
practices surrounding milk quality and safety. The PRAs allowed identifying strong seasonal milk production and
consumption practices reflecting rainfall patterns and a dependence on the natural environment. A wide range of
production constraints were described by producers including insufficient technical know-how, poor quality
breeds, cattle diseases, lack of capital, feed, water and reliable markets. While milk availability had a strong
influence on milk consumption, findings showed that there are a range of other factors such as the consistency of
milk, purchasing power and the availability of other foods which also influence consumer choice. A dependence
on sensory milk quality attributes in the absence of other systems of certification was described. Both producers
and consumers showed little concern regarding potentially contaminated milk despite an awareness of the ex istence of milkborne disease risks. The results indicate great potential for upscaling dairy production and at the
same time highlight that any such interventions should carefully consider mitigation measures for food safety
risks |
|