A Technical Cooperation Project aimed at increasing milk production in the dry zone is planned to be implemented over a period of three years under a financial grant of Rs. 300mn from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The project is expected to achieve objectives such as developing training and educational programmes for dairy farmers producing between 20 and 100 litres of milk per day in the Northern, Eastern, North Central, and North Western provinces, introducing suitable technical methods, strengthening fodder production and supply, and improving hygienic milk production and consumption.

Under the project, two districts will be selected from each of the four provinces, and within those districts, three veterinary divisions will be chosen. In each of these veterinary divisions, three model farms will be established, resulting in a total of 24 model farms across the four provinces.

Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to implement the Technical Cooperation Project for the development of milk production in the dry zone.