Poster prepared by Lusato R. Kurwijila, Stella Makokha and Amos Omore for the ASARECA-Livestock and Fisheries Programme Scientific Conference in Bujumbura, Burundi, 31 October to 4 November 2011.

1. Quality pays; Safety matters: Evidence from Research on Consumer
Perceptions and Valuation of Quality and Safety of Value Added Dairy Products in ECA
Lusato R. Kurwijila1, Stella Makokha2 and Amos Omore3
1Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania; 2Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, 14733-00800, Nairobi Kenya
3International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya
1. Message:
Is consumers’ preferences for quality and their concerns for safety of
dairy products drivers of growth of value addition in the dairy
sector?
5. Results and Discussion:
Dairy and beef industry value chain maps were constructed for each
2. Introduction: site(Fig 1). Only 3-16% and 8-10% of supermarket shoppers
•The demand for value added products is increasing in the ECA region. purchased dairy and beef products respectively in Kenya and
• The region is a net importer of dairy products. Most products are imported Tanzania. The results showed that quality attributes of milk products
from outside the region. demanded by the niche markets were high hygienic standard;
• The growing volumes of imported value added dairy products indicates freshness, good packaging, taste, absence of milk adulteration;
failure of domestic Small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to meet enough pasteurization and good smell among others (Table 1)
the demand
• The existing demand supply gap presents an opportunity for SMEs to
grow and create wealth .
Table 1: Consumer criteria for quality and safety of milk and dairy
3.Objectives: products
To assess the consumer demand for quality and safety of dairy products
Tanzania
Ethiopia
Rwanda
Kenya
in the ECA region
Quality Attributes Indicators
Hygienic stds., Indication product meets hygienic standards
4. Materials and methods: No adulteration,
(more an issue of safety)
High lactometer reading ‐
• The study was conducted in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Enough pasteurization, Indication that milk has been pasteurized (more
of a safety issue)
Uganda and Southern Sudan along the value chain nodes (Fig 1) good taste and flavor No offflavours
Butter fat content, Indication of high fat content
• First: Rapid market assessments carried out in capital cities and packaging, Good packaging; leakproof
Freshness Not sour, will not clot on boiling
regional towns in each country. Information on market demands on Storage conditions, Whether or not milk is chilled
quality and safety attributes were recorded through informal and focus smell, No foul smell
Density Not watery
group discussions with various dairy value chain actors. Texture,
Color White, Creamy
• Second: a structured consumer survey conducted to get in depth
Safety Attributes Indicators
consumer characteristics and preferences Packaging Good packaging
• Third: In Kenya and Tanzania case studies on food safety risk Pasteurisation Evidence that milk pasturised or boiled
shelf‐life well labeled Expiry date well shown
assessment carried out Storage, Condition of storage vessel or container ‐ ‐ ‐
Source of milk Trusted source, well known
Fig. 1: Generalised dairy value chains in the study counties
Colour, White and creamy,
freshness, not sour
Date of packaging, Indication of manufacture date ‐
Cleanliness of premises Cleanliness of retail premises is important
taste of milk Should have normal taste
Cold storage, Should be chilled
udder health Should come from health cow ‐ ‐ ‐
Smell No offflavours
Density Not watery
Table 2: Consumer willingness to pay for quality and safety
consumers willing to pay more for Kenya Tanzania
Commodity Dar es
Nairobi Eldoret Salaam Arusha
N=102 N=50 N=15 N=18
Higher quality (%) 74 73 58.8 80.0
safety of dairy products (%) 80 68 58.0 80.0
M ilk
How much more for quality? (K.shs)
1‐5 (%) 73 70 ‐ ‐
5‐10 (%) 20 18 ‐ ‐
>10 (%) 7 13 ‐ ‐
6. Conclusion
• Consumers have own criteria for judging quality and safety of milk
which are quite similar across countries
• Criteria used show concerns for quality and safety of locally
produced value added dairy products
• In Kenya and Tanzania there were indications of willingness to pay
higher prices for safer and better quality products