The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an entity of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with industry body Milk South Africa (Milk SA) to advance development goals in the industry.

South Africa has one of the most efficient and competitive dairy industries in the world, despite not receiving government support like many of its international trade competitors.  

Although the number of milk farms and processors of dairy products continues to decline, the industry still provides sufficient unprocessed milk and dairy products of a high standard to consumers.

Milk SA’s members comprise the Milk Producers’ Organisation and the South African Milk Processors’ Organisation. Milk SA is able to fund projects through statutory levies, with projects spanning skills development, research and development, consumer education and quality and safety improvement.

Milk SA’s strategic intent is to improve the competitiveness of the South African dairy industry, broaden the market for local dairy products and to empower black dairy entrepreneurs in the industry.

In turn, the TIA’s cluster model aims to stimulate developments of activities and interventions, particularly those that address systemic weaknesses that hamper commercialisation and innovation in the industry.

In the collaboration between TIA and Milk SA, Milk SA will be an implementing partner of the current Dairy Genomics Programme.

“The signing of this collaboration agreement is the culmination of years of negotiation and underscores the realisation that partnerships are central to the achievement of the developmental goals of South Africa.

“This historic moment of the signature of a memorandum of understanding between TIA and Milk SA has also ensured a meeting of minds regarding further support to the transformation agenda of Milk SA and TIA. As we pursue diversity, equity and inclusion.

“We envisage a dairy industry in which the participation of women is commonplace, and in which all opportunities within the value chain are opened for participation,” says TIA bioeconomy executive Dr Vuyisile Phehane.

In turn, Milk SA research programme manager Dr Heinz Meissner comments that technology development and innovation in a competitive environment where profit margins are small, is crucial.

He anticipates that this relationship should provide increased opportunities to achieve such innovation and, simultaneously, maintain sustainability.  

This collaboration is a good example of a public-private partnership that would contribute to economic growth and a competitive industry, leading to improved quality of life for South Africans.

As a strategic high-impact programme, the model of cluster creation and management supports DSI’s Decadal Plan and the implementation of the 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation.

The Decadal Plan guides on modalities for the State's intervention towards rescuing industries in decline, amongst other interventions defined in the Agricultural and Agroprocessing Masterplan.