Supporting Smallholder Dairy Farmers

TechnoServe partnered with the Millennium Challenge Corporation to reduce poverty and boost economic development in northern El Salvador by strengthening the dairy value chain.

In 2010, TechnoServe began working with a group of dairy farmers and processing plants across the region to increase local milk production and gain access to higher-paying export markets. The program focused on growing the sector while improving opportunities for women and promoting environmentally-friendly farming and processing practices.

TechnoServe staff helped farmers to increase sustainable production on their farms by introducing high-quality feed, improving the milking process, and rehabilitating 1,000 acres of grazeland. Beyond the farm, the project helped to establish collection and service centers, modernize processing plants, and forge lasting connections with buyers. By the project’s end in 2012, TechnoServe helped to generate more than $2 million in sales and 1,000 new jobs across participating farms and processing plants.