FOCAL - dairy value chain project

CARE in Cuba
Greater integration of the dairy value chain in 2 Cuban
Provinces (FOCAL Project)
March 2011 - March 2014
Quick Facts
• Cuba’s food security strategy identifies milk as a key
staple in the Cuban diet, and in ensuring proper nutrition
for vulnerable populations.
• The dairy value chain constitutes an important source of
employment for rural populations in Camaguey and
Sancti Spiritus Provinces.
Project Information
This project aims to build on the experiences and lessons
generated by previous CARE and ACPA interventions in the
dairy sector. More specifically, previous projects did not
address work with important actors of the dairy value chain,
such as the dairy industry, and did not make links between
farmers and industry.
This project takes an integrated approach, and works at all
levels of the diary value chain, including:
• Farm level—by improving farmers’ capacity for on farm
hygiene, improved milking practices, and planting forage
grasses that are more resilient to prolonged drought.
• Milk collection level — by rendering milk collection
routes more efficient, and providing inputs and materials
for better milk conservation during transport from farm
to cooperative collection centre.
• Cooperative level — by establishing milk cooling centres
and quality-testing laboratories, and building capacity
for their operation and maintenance.
THE SITUATION
Close to 10% of annual milk production in Cuba is
lost due to spoilage on-farm, during transport, or
while it awaits pick-up by the industry trucks. The
majority of Cuban dairy cooperatives do not produce
value added dairy products.
WHAT CARE WANTS TO ACHIEVE
Increase capacity to reduce milk losses at all levels.
Create ideal conditions for the conservation, processing
and commercialization of 100% of milk
produced.
Increase capacity at the farm and cooperative
level to integrate gender equality in productive
processes, and increased application of adaptation
practices in the face of more frequent and prolonged
droughts.
Inform Cuban dairy policy development by providing
successful examples and practices that can
be adopted by MINAG.
Photo R. Hernandez
• Industry level — by improving industry transport routes,
establishing micro-industries for the production of value
added dairy products, and by bringing farmers and industry
together to discuss challenges faced in the sector
and piloting solutions (such as payment for milk received
in situ, rather than after arrival at industry plant).
Project objectives include:
• Improve food security in the Sancti Spiritus and Camaguey
provinces.
• Improve the quality and quantity of milk that is available
to local populations, by implementing an integrated
value chain management model that can be replicable
and scalable in other provinces.
Traditional milking on Cuban dairy farms

What CARE and its partners have
achieved:
The project recently completed its first year of implementation.
During this time, activities were focused on
project start-up and planning, including:
• Participatory diagnostics at each farm to identify
local problematic and challenges.
• Development of action plans at each farm , as well
as cooperative level for infrastructure and productive
improvements.
• Identification of sites for infrastructure improvements,
establishment of micro industries and milk
cooling centres.
WOMEN’s EMPOWEREMENT:
Improved access for women to employment in the
dairy value chain, and formal recognition in Cooperative
Policy of the contribution of women to dairy
production.
Differentiated vulnerability to impacts of prolonged
drought for women and men will be established, and
will inform the development of tailored adaptation
strategies.
Improved access for women to decision-making
within cooperative structures. Improved agency of
women to participate in decision-making.
Photos R. Hernandez
• Design of infrastructure improvements, including
development of environmental impact assessment
studies.
• Development of gender equality strategy for the
project, and at the cooperative level.
• Design, in collaboration with the Cuban Meteorological
Society (SOMETCuba), of a climate change adaptation
program focused on drought.
• Links made with the Cuban Forage Institute so that
farmers can have access to improved forage grasses
that are more resilient to drought.
In its second year, the project will focus on building and
equipping all the dairy infrastructure planned, as well as
implementing a capacity building program for its operation
and maintenance.
Milk collection centre processes
Start Date: March 2011
End Date: March 2014
Donor: European Union
Project Quick Facts:
DEFENDING DIGNITY. FIGHTING POVERTY.
Partners: MINAG, ACPA, SOMETCuba