Background to the TDVC programme
Transforming the Dairy Value Chain (TDVC) was a 7-year Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) Programme between primary industry organisations and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). It started at an important time in dairying when attitudes were changing and public expectations were growing.
The programme wrapped up in 2018.
TDVC aimed to make a difference for the dairy industry
TDVC brought organisations together to transform the industry. This was a significant investment in time, expertise, and money. Without TDVC, this collaboration would not have been possible.
TDVC aimed to:
- boost industry resilience and expertise
- reduce impacts on the environment
- help the development of new value-add products
- support the next generation of primary sector leaders.
Independent evaluation of TDVC achievements
As part of its governance for PGP programmes, MPI commissioned an independent evaluation. This looked at:
- the programme's achievements
- what its legacy was likely to be
- any learnings.
What the evaluation found
The evaluation said that TDVC involved "a level of collaboration not previously seen across industry, government, and academia". It concluded that TDVC had economic benefits of around $1.86 billion, as well as non-financial benefits in:
- food safety
- food quality
- paediatric health.
Stakeholders believe TDVC set the dairy industry up for long-term sustainability.
The evaluation also concluded that TDVC:
- promoted collaboration that made innovation possible
- helped build awareness of the scientific and technological expertise of the dairy industry
- grew the industry's nutrient and effluent management capability
- supported development of tools and support to help meet greenhouse gas targets
- attracted people to careers in the industry
- helped farmers recognise and address mental health issues to boost resilience
- enabled new innovations worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Transforming the Dairy Value Chain lessons
Lesson 1: The 7-year investment in the programme allowed work to continue through challenges such as the dairy turndown.
Lesson 2: Flexible investment let TDVC shift resources to areas of work most likely to succeed.
Lesson 3: Linking commercial projects with scientific enterprise meant that findings could be implemented quickly.
Lesson 4: It is important to agree on benefits measures and how to track them before contracting.
Lesson 5: An independent chair helps governance, but reporting needs to be clear.
The TDVC evaluation report
The evaluation report was released on 12 November 2019.
TDVC evaluation report [PDF, 1.8 MB]
