Institutional news 9 January 2025
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CIRAD publishes its roadmap for more sustainable dairy chains

Milk and its by-products are consumed worldwide, whatever the latitude, whatever the climate, whatever the environment (rural or urban). Milk, primarily from cows, generates income for 120 million dairy farms.
However, milk collection and trading is dominated by a small number of agrifood giants, with the 20 largest dairy firms accounting for 25% of global milk production. Those powerful firms cover the entire globe, often in partnership with local players, but they are far from the only dairy processors.
Population growth worldwide, particularly in zones with strong growth, such as sub-Saharan Africa, India and Southeast Asia, means a need to increase dairy production to feed almost 10 billion people worldwide by 2050. Most people in those regions are poor, and want to consume more milk or make a better living from livestock farming.
In response to that growing demand, it is vital to boost production in a sustainable way, guarantee product quality and reduce the carbon footprint of livestock farming. CIRAD has been supporting dairy chains in the global South for decades, and has now drafted a ten-year roadmap to help farmers and dairy firms move towards more sustainable production.
Four main ambitions will frame CIRAD's activities in the coming years:
- Promote agroecological intensification of dairy production systems
- Promote sustainable, inclusive value chains that leave more room for local dairy production
- Boost the contribution of local dairy chains to sustainable food systems
- Help policymakers and grassroots players build a new generation of marketing and supply management policies.
To achieve those ambitions, CIRAD has 34 scientists in seven research units working in ten fields ranging from livestock science to sociology.
A few figures for the dairy sector worldwide:
- 120 million dairy farms, with an average of three cows each
- The 20 largest dairy firms account for 25% of global milk production
- Dairy production must be increased if we are to feed almost 10 billion people by 2050
- In West Africa, the aim is to increase the share of local milk in West African dairy processing operations from less than 5% to more than 25%
- Despite a 45% jump in dairy production in 20 years, the share of demand covered by local milk has fallen from 60% to 40% in Wes Africa.