Policymakers explore Common Asian platform of milk producing countries

Demand for milk in Asia to touch 320 million tonnes by 2021

Experts and policymakers from Asia Pacific, who are debating about adopting a strategic framework for sustainable dairy development in Asia at India's milk capital Anand, feel that there can be a common Asian platform of milk producing countries, which can help the region to improve practices in dairy farming by knowledge sharing etc.

The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), whose experts are present at Anand at the moment along with stakeholders from the dairy industry across Asia and India, could act as a facilitator, where major players like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) of India could also participate.

According to recent OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook, demand for milk and milk products in the region will reach almost 320 million tonnes by the year 2021, which means the region will need to increase milk availability by another 50 million tonnes within this decade. T Nanda Kumar, chairman, NDDB, however, felt that it is an under-estimation, as once more countries get into drinking milk as a part of their daily diet, the demand can see a sudden spike. India can add 6 mt of additional milk production every year. India's production stood at 138 mt for 2014-15. Kumar also felt that models like the National Dairy Plan (NDP) could be replicated across other Asian countries, but with some modifications.

Policymakers present here also debated about ways to adopt a framework that would boost the livelihoods of the smallholder dairy farmers.

More than 60 delegates representing a broad range of stakeholders including senior officials from governments, national and international development agencies, private sector agencies, civil society organisations, donors and development partners, and academic and research institutions from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam are participating in the discussions here.

Heining Steinfeld, chief, livestock information and policy branch, FAO, Rome said that while there was a model available that of China's, where the country has imported highly productive bovine animals, set up large and mechanised farms to boost dairy production; another model available was that of India's where millions of small and marginal farmers earn their livelihood from dairy farming.

Experts felt that while switching to a grain-based diet could significantly increase the productivity of the Indian cattle, countries like India, which primarily use agricultural waste as fodder, can hardly afford to do that.

Steinfeld said that large number of poor and poverty stricken population of the region could benefit from smallholder milk production. As policy, competition between food and feed needs to be reduced and growth of livestock in valuable eco system could be limited so that undesired competition between human being and animal is minimised.

Vinod Ahuja, Livestock Policy Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok said that in 2003 under the initiative of FAO and NDDB, a programme called Pro- Poor Livestock Policy Initiative was initiated in India. Subsequently it covered South Asia Pro Poor Livestock Policy Programme. NDDB provided a strong foundation and financial support.

He said, "In course of the experiences gained, the concept of Dairy Asia as an idea emerged and a regional meeting "Dairy Asia -Towards Sustainability' was organised in Bangkok on May 21-23 2014. A road map was prepared, consultations were made and the present meeting is convened to take the ideas into realities in tangible form."

Following the Bangkok meeting, a framework paper was prepared outlining the elements of a strategic framework for sustainable dairy development in Asia.