In order to broaden knowledge and experience in the dairy sub-sector, a team of key project partners went for study tour to Bangladesh and Thailand from 14-27 November 2005. The team was lead by Mrs. Tsetsgee Ser-Od, National Project Director of GCSP/MON/001/JPN Dairy Development Project in Mongolia and comprised Mrs Ch. Narangerel, Training Manager of the newly established National Dairy Training Centre in Ulaanbaatar, Mr O. Natsagdorj, Chairman of the recently formed Nomgon Milk Producers’ Cooperative, Mr O. Jargasaikhan from the "Suun zam" Milk Producers’ Organisation in Zuunharaa and Mr T. Buuveibaatar owner of Mongon Suu Dairy Partnership from Mongonmort. The study tour was organized by project with special emphasis to learn about (i) Milk Producer Organizations (ii) milk collection, processing and marketing system and (iii) vocational and outreach training facilities for dairy operators in these countries.

In Bangladesh the team was received and briefed by with high ranking staff of Department of Livestock Services of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Grameen Pashu-Sampad-O-Motsho Foundation and the FAO Representation Office in Dhaka. Mr Brian Dugdill, Chief Technical Adviser for GCSP/MON/001/JPN project in Mongolia, who was undertaking an FAO supervisory mission to the Grameen Bank/UNDP/FAO Community Livestock and Dairy Development project in Bangladesh, Mr Brian Dugdill, Chief Technical Adviser for GCSP/MON/001/JPN project in Mongolia, also provided valuable guidance to the study tour team.

The participants visited a number of places, such as: a Dairy Training Centre, Central Dairy Cattle Breeding Station in Savar, Community Livestock & Dairy Development Project sites at Nimgachi, Sirajgonj, Milk Vita, the milk processing plant in Bagharbarighat, which deals with 250,000 farmer-members and capacity to process 300,000 litters of milk daily. The team was impressed with activities of the Grameen Pashu-Sampad-O-Motsho Foundation, the executive organisation of the Community Livestock and Dairy Development Project (BGD/98/009) and the sister organisation of Grameen Bank globally well known for its activities to reduce poverty alleviation and rural development through micro-credit schemes, training and helping the poor people, specially women in undertaking income generating activities through aquaculture and livestock rearing. The participants were able to observe the milk collection, testing, cooling, transportation and processing activities of the village communities, Village Group Members, and larger cooperatives under much more difficult dairying conditions than in Mongolia.

In Thailand the team was received and briefed by officials of Department of Livestock Development, Bureau of Livestock Development and Technology Transfer, Livestock Economies Group, Division of Research and Development on Animal Products as well as Dairy Training Centre and the FAO Representation for Thailand.

Dairy industry has been developed since 1970 with assistance of AUSAID, DANIDA and other donors. FAO Dairy Training project TCP/THA/2902 was implemented in 2002-2004 years and Chiang Mai Dairy Training Centre in Huay Kaew was established to serve and train dairy operators, dairy cooperative members, farmers as well as to conduct practical trainings for agricultural and food technology students. There are 400,000 heads of dairy cattle in country, owned by farmers, members of small, medium and larger cooperatives. Farms with more than 100 cows are considered as large, with 50 cows- middle and with 20 cows- small. The majority of dairy cattle are of Holstein Friesian breed originated from Australia. The team visited a small individual farm with 50 cows and Ban Patting Huay Mor and Mae-Joe, Dairy Cooperatives varied by size and volume of activities.

The team was impressed very much with the support and assistance provided by the Government of Thailand to the dairy sector, specially in development of dairy cooperatives, processing plants, introducing school milk programs and its budget allocation. Dairy training is also sponsored and financed by the Government. Veterinary services, AI, semen are still given free of charge to farmers and bank loan packages sound very encouraging and supportive for farm cooperatives. This is of course not the case in Mongolia where dairy operators (farmers and processors) have to borrow at interest rates varying from 24 to 36 percent per annum. Five Dairy Promotion Organisations - public institutions - are working under supervision of Department of Livestock Development and operating throughout country.

Upon return to Mongolia, the team produced Study tour report (Field document 12) and has drawn up an action plan to apply the key lessons learned for the GCSP/MON/001/JPN dairy project.

The study tour team and the project expresses its appreciation to the Grameen Fisheries and Livestock Foundation in Bangladesh and the Department of Livestock Development in Thailand as well as the respective FAO country offices for making the visits both educational and enjoyable.

(Tsetsgee Ser-Od – December 2005)

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