School Feeding Programmes and
local dairy hubs contribute to secure and sustainable food systems
There are several challenges that need to be overcome to fulfil the UN initiative on Sustainable Food Systems. The Tetra Laval Group contributes to providing access to safe nutrition in several ways. This includes playing an active role by working in collaboration with customers and other partners to develop School Feeding Programmes around the world and to increase the supply of locally produced high-quality milk through our Dairy Hub model.
Major challenges but also opportunities
Achieving global food security in a sustainable way is a complex task in a world faced with a growing population and an increasing demand for safe, nutritious food. Climate change, water scarcity, land use, urbanisation and supply chain disruptions add to these challenges. But there are also many opportunities for improvement.
One opportunity for food production is to increase yields and productivity in an environmentally sustainable way to meet the needs of a growing population. For example, in the dairy value chain alone, approximately 42 per cent (867 million tonnes) of the global milk production is produced by smallholder farmers and most of this milk is not formally processed or packaged. Meanwhile, the yields and income levels of smallholder farmers are very low and many lack access to formal markets. Improving production and infrastructure for milk present another related opportunity – a highly nutritious product like milk can play a key role in improving nutrition for children and communities in need today, as well as the growing global population in the long term.
Tetra Laval’s contribution to safe and nutritious food
The Tetra Laval Group is committed to creating more secure and sustainable food systems by increasing access to safe and nutritious food.
For example, throughout our history Tetra Pak’s food processing and packaging technology has played a key role in providing school children around the world with access to safe nutrition. School feeding programmes have proven to have a positive impact on children’s physical health and education by reducing malnutrition and improving school enrolment and attendance rates. They also play an important role in local agricultural development and job creation. Today, more than 68 million school children in 56 countries receive milk or other fortified beverages in Tetra Pak packages.
“Tetra Pak and Tetra Laval Food for Development support customers and collaborate with governments, NGOs, the UN and International Development Aid agencies in the development of school feeding programmes linked to local agricultural development,” says Rafael Fábrega, Director of Tetra Laval Food for Development.
Tetra Laval Food for Development and DeLaval’s knowledge and expertise in dairy farming has also been vital in the development of the Dairy Hub model. The model links smallholder farmers to a dedicated dairy processor in a selected area and provides hands-on practical knowledge transfer. Providing farmers with training services and setting up appropriate cooling infrastructure and technology increases the supply of locally produced quality milk. Dairy Hubs have helped provide access to formal markets and improve the livelihoods of more than 54,000 smallholder farmers through 16 projects in various parts of the world.
“With the combination of technology, know-how, and expertise, we believe we can make a real difference by working together with customers and collaborating in partnership,” concludes Fábrega.
