In Eritrea, the dairy sector is seriously constrained by fodder and water shortages. This has led to a low-quality national herd, unable to contribute the income and nutritional benefits normally associated with livestock farming.  

This project aims to improve the productivity and profitability of the diary sector, develop dairy value chains in each of the three host Zobas: Debub, Anseba, and Mackel. In doing so, the project aims to increase dairy consumption in Eritrea for nutritional benefits. 

The DeSIRA project has been designed based on the need to bring about an inclusive, sustainable and climate-relevant transformation of the Eritrean dairy value chain. The objective is to enhance food and nutrition security, reduce poverty, and create job opportunities for young people by improving access of the rural poor to innovation and new technologies, and by strengthening the capacity of national innovation support services.

• 800 producer households (approximately 4,000 people).   
• Approximately 50 academic/scientific staff at research and educational institutes.
•  1500 Development Agents and 320 Subject Matter Specialists (SMSs), of which 20% will be women.