Sameer Agricultural and Livestock Limited (SALL), has today rolled out a school milk program. The program, which is a partnership with Tetrapak and Dairy Development Authority, is targeted at schools within the greater central region in the first phase and it will later be expanded to other schools across the country.
While making the announcement, Sameer Agriculture and Livestock Limited Managing Director Mr. Sudhir Mathulla said,” We acknowledge the nutritional challenges the school going children commonly face, especially in developing nations. School-aged children grow significantly, whilst being very physically active in general. As a result, their nutritional needs are high and critical. As SALL, we believe that this program will be instrumental in ensuring that we are growing a healthy generation who will in-turn contribute significantly in the development of this great nation.”
Many studies have established a clear link between improved nutrition and better educational performance. Milk is one of the most nutritious foods children can drink, containing 18 of 22 of the nutrients they need, including vitamins, minerals proteins, fats, sugars, and carbohydrates. Dairy Development Authority will provide technical support as the dairy industry regulator while Tetrapak will provide the packaging at subsidized cost.
“This program is timely. The benefits will not only be felt by the school going children but also by industry players including dairy farmers and manufacturers whose demand for milk will increase. As a sector regulator, I would encourage similar programs to be rolled out across the country,” said Mr. Sudhir Mathulla adding that the organization would offer continuous support for similar programs.
On its part, Tetrapak said that the program was in line with its global commitment in Increases children’s consumption of milk and encouraging children to practice healthy eating behaviors.
“This program will encourage students to choose healthier beverages, which are essential for growing children even when they are out of school. What we bring to this partnership is our aseptic packaging techniques which can keep milk safe, tasty and nutritious for many months without needing to be refrigerated,” said TetraPak East Africa Managing Director.
