FrieslandCampina owns a majority stake in Engro Foods, the second largest dairy company in Pakistan. Engro Foods has a vast network of 1,350 milk collection centres, which collect milk from about 150,000 farmers on a daily basis. The milk is processed in well-run plants located in Sahiwal and Sukkur. Engro Foods started its dairy development programme in 2006, the aim of which is to help small-scale dairy farmers to manage their farms as efficiently as possible by providing technical support and sharing knowledge.

The objective is to boost dairy production both qualitatively and quantitatively in order to improve food security and the socio-economic position of these farmers and make rural communities more viable.

With the support of many partners including the Punjab Government, USAID and UNDP, Engro Foods and Engro Foundation have started various projects aimed at developing local farmers to become more professional. Well-known projects include the WELD programme (Women Empowerment thru Livestock Development) and SeadsNet (Strengthening Entrepreneurs and Dairy Stakeholders Network).

In 2017 the so-called Big Push project was started by Engro Foods and the Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF).
“The Big Push” is based on a concept of infusion of diverse skills in a concentrated area to jump start employment and market opportunity. Based on this concept the project partners designed a program aiming to create an ecosystem where farmers are trained in modern animal husbandry practices which would impart skills in the dairy sector with a focus on improving farmer’s practices, increasing milk production and promoting rural entrepreneurship in 17 villages in Southern Punjab, Pakistan.
The programme is executed by Engro Foods in the villages identified as the poorest ones of the southern Punjab located in Bahawal Nager, Bahawalpur and Muzafer garh districts. A team of more than 40 dairy experts are training illiterate farmers in a practical way by using a.o. audio visuals and by organising study tours.
The project has trained 11300 dairy small holders including 4500 women to enhance dairy farming skills. The interventions has improved milk yield, quality and benefits the farmers to improve their livelihood.
To improve the complementary services such as health and nutrition the programme has also trained 700 micro entrepreneurs in livestock extension skills, village milk collection skills, artificial insemination skills and farm supervisor’s management skills to enhance the potential of these dairy pockets and creating self-employment opportunities

9000 farmers were trained to increase milk production (at the end of the project average milk production per animal increased by 20% = 0.95 kg). 700 individuals were trained in different skills such as AI, extension work, farm supervision work

To monitor and evaluate the project’s impact and to support the government in policy formulation the Center of Economics Research Pakistan (CERP) is engaged to play its role through evidence based data. The project is designed to be a pilot; upon success it will be scaled up to the rest of Punjab.

Refer to above sections

This project shows that by joining hands the public and private sector can make quick wins with regard to food security and improved livelihoods in poor, food-insecure regions.