Global Dairy Platform

Discussing Dairy’s Potential to Drive Employment

Global experts discussed the dairy sector’s vital role in driving employment and socio-economic growth during a GDP side event “Value Addition and Employment Generation through Sustainable Dairy Transformation” at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Committee on Agriculture (COAG) Sub-Committee on Livestock at the FAO Headquarters in Rome in June 2026.

Researchers Note Importance of Protein Quality Measurement

Global researchers discussed findings from Project Proteos, a six-year GDP-driven research initiative aimed at developing a more reliable method for determining the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) value of food proteins, at a satellite session held in conjunction with the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) Annual Meeting, NUTRITION 2025, in Orlando, Fl.

Nutrition Event Emphasizes Need for Dairy Investment

A Nutrition for Growth 2025 official side event organized by GDP and the International Dairy Federation in Paris highlighted why the dairy sector holds immense potential for driving economic development and improving nutrition security and health within environmental boundaries.

Nutrition, Socio-economic Key in Sustainable Diet

A Global Dairy Platform Perspective Paper focuses on why food system sustainability must be assessed across environmental, nutritional, and socio-economic dimensions. For example, including nutrition in sustainability assessments repositions the value of foods and reveals important trade-offs.

DSF Drives Global Sustainability Insights

For more than 10 years, the Dairy Sustainability Framework (DSF) has provided insights on the sector’s sustainability progress. The DSF is the result of a global, collaborative project by the dairy sector that monitors 11 criteria covering the three pillars of sustainability – economic, environmental and social.

187-Country Study Shows Dairy’s Socio-economic Strength

The report, “Dairy and Socio-economic Development; What Evidence Does the Data Hold?” examined relationships between dairy sector development and 97 statistical variables for 187 countries and territories in different world regions, showing how dairy sector transformation benefits farmers, employees, consumers and governments.

Study Shows How Dairy Can Help Fight Global Hunger

A series of studies in recent years have shown the impact dairy has on the Sustainable Development Goals, including one that focused on dairy’s vital role in fighting hunger. “Dairy’s Impact on Reducing Global Hunger” details the essential role dairy products play in providing balanced, healthy and safe nutrition.

Dairy Discussions at International Congress of Nutrition

Discussions about least-cost nutritionally adequate diets, the dairy matrix, protein quality, and diet optimization tools that help inform dietary guidance demonstrated dairy sector leadership in nutrition research and activation at the International Union of Nutritional Sciences-International Congress of Nutrition (IUNS-ICN) in Paris, which takes place every four years.

NUTRITION

As a powerful source of nutrients, dairy is recognized in most countries as one of the basic building blocks of a sustainable diet. It delivers part of the essential nutrition necessary for people to thrive.

DEVELOPMENT

What makes dairy farming truly relevant is its ability to transform lives and enable powerful, positive change. Appropriate farming practices generate a stable source of cash flow.

SUSTAINABILITY

Dairy is invested in efficient food production and the reduction of environmental impacts. The dairy sector’s role in sustainable agriculture lies at the core of the dynamic communities it creates.

SDGs

The dairy sector has the tremendous ability to bring the SDGs to life. An emphasis on an integrated approach strengthens the contribution of the sector to sustainable food security and nutrition.

The dairy sector is a large, transformative global force that has a far-reaching impact on economies, societies, and individuals.

ONE BILLION PEOPLE

have livelihoods supported by the dairy sector

600 MILLION PEOPLE

live on 133 million dairy farms around the world

109 MILLION CASES

of childhood stunting could be prevented by 2050 through improved dairy productivity in Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania

95% OF FEED

consumed by domestic ruminants globally is inedible to humans

~24% DECREASE

in global farm-gate emissions intensity was achieved from 2000 to 2022

35–45% HIGHER COSTS

are associated with nutritionally adequate diets that exclude animal-source foods (such as dairy) vs. those that include it

DAIRY: NOURISHING PEOPLE, SUPPORTING ECONOMIES, AND ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY

Dairy foods provide affordable, nutrient-dense nourishment that helps reduce malnutrition, prevent disease, and improve health across the lifespan

ABOUT US

Global Facts about Dairy

The dairy sector is a large, transformative global force that has a far-reaching impact on economies, societies, and individuals.

ONE BILLION PEOPLE

have livelihoods supported by the dairy sector

600 MILLION PEOPLE

live on 133 million dairy farms around the world

109 MILLION CASES

of childhood stunting could be prevented by 2050 through improved dairy productivity in Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania

95% OF FEED

consumed by domestic ruminants globally is inedible to humans

~24% DECREASE

in global farm-gate emissions intensity was achieved from 2000 to 2022

35–45% HIGHER COSTS

are associated with nutritionally adequate diets that exclude animal-source foods (such as dairy) vs. those that include it

DAIRY: NOURISHING PEOPLE, SUPPORTING ECONOMIES, AND ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY

Dairy foods provide affordable, nutrient-dense nourishment that helps reduce malnutrition, prevent disease, and improve health across the lifespan