BRIDGE+

BRIDGE+ (Building Rural Income through Inclusive Dairy Business Growth in Ethiopia) is a national dairy transformation programme implemented by SNV in partnership with Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and Agriterra, and funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Building on the foundational work of the initial BRIDGE project (2018-2024), BRIDGE+ works to build a more inclusive, competitive, and formal dairy sector that delivers safe, nutritious, and affordable dairy products across Ethiopia. 

Leveraging over 15 years of Dutch-Ethiopian collaboration—including BOAM, DairyBISS, EDGET, and BRIDGE—the programme shifts from supporting mainly farmers to driving systemwide transformation across the entire dairy value chain through climate-smart dairy farming

While phase 1 focused on stabilizing production and local milk hubs, phase 2 (BRIDGE+) shifts the lens toward a systemic, market-led transformation. By bridging the gap between smallholder efficiency and industrial-scale safety, we are ensuring that Ethiopia’s dairy sector is not just growing, but competing on a national stage.

The challenge: meeting urban demand

Ethiopia’s rapidly growing population and urbanisation are increasing demand for quality, nutritious dairy products. At the same time, national initiatives such as Yelemat Tirufat are prioritising improved feeding, extension services, and modern market systems. BRIDGE+ directly supports these ambitions by strengthening productivity, safety, input markets, and formal dairy value chains.

The Approach: 22 Milksheds, One Standard

BRIDGE+ is a national programme active across 10 regions and 22 milksheds, working with smallholder dairy farmers, dairy cooperatives and unions, commercial farms, milk processors, agro-input dealers (AgIDs), extension systems such as digital advisory services, and regional governments.

Food safety: 

• 20 processors targeted for safety compliance; 

• 3 factories working toward HACCP certification; 

• 30 small processors already achieving GMP/GHP (out of 100 targeted). 

Nutrition: 

• 1,000,000 children targeted for School Milk Programme benefits; 

• 250,000 children reached so far. 

Professionalisation: 

• 26 commercial advisers operating (target: 60). 

• 23 commercial farmers producing 1,000 L/day (target: 400). 

• 5 PDTFs established (target: 20). 

Research and innovation: 

• 6 policy/practice briefs produced (target: 10) 

• 20 MSc students supported (target: 40) 

• 3 PhD students progressing 

• 9 local research trajectories under implementation 

BRIDGE+ will continue until 2028, prioritising: 

• Institutionalising climate-smart dairy farming advisory and quality assurance systems 

• Strengthening national dairy platforms and sector associations 

• Scaling market-driven solutions, private sector investment and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)

• Deepening food safety, nutrition, and policy influence