Time frame: June 2024 – May 2026
Total Budget: EUR 458,350

In June 2024 a partnership between GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition) and the Yoba for Life Foundation was formed, with an objective to increase the production and consumption of probiotic yoghurt in the Amhara region, specifically in 16 specific Woreda’s.

GAIN, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. In coming together with organisations like Yoba for Life in this case, GAIN’s aim to transform food systems and deliver more nutritious and safe foods to the most vulnerable becomes even more successful.

Under the Better Dairy For All project, the Yoba team, consisting of three staff members, are active in the Addis Ababa and Amhara regions. The team supports bottom-up formalization of the dairy sector through strengthening small-scale probiotic yoghurt processors in the Amhara region to improve accessibility and opportunities. The new technology and use of Yoba starter culture help processors to extend the shelf life of their fermented dairy products from 3 days to 30 days. Consequently, this allows the processors to pack their products and distribute them to the market, thus expanding their business.