Smallholder dairy farming is the main source of milk in Rwanda. To improve milk production and productivity, the Government of Rwanda has been importing exotic dairy breeds to crossbreed with local breeds. Despite a notable increase in milk production, the demand for milk still exceeds current production. Smallholder farmers' access to improved genetics is still limited due to the lack of a sustainable national breeding program that enables the selection of adaptable, high-yielding dairy genetics at an affordable price.

Current strategies are costly due to overreliance on imported genetic material selected in different environments. Establishing a sustainable breeding program requires animal identification and registration, phenotypic data recording, establishing a database to store data collected from different farms, genotyping, genetic evaluation, and the selection of bulls and bull dams using a robust selection index.

To strengthen national genetic improvement, RAB has signed a Collaborative Research Agreement with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to implement the African Asian Dairy Genetic Gains (AADGG) project. This project aims to enhance dairy cattle genetic improvement through innovative use of information technology and genomic tools to select adaptable, high-yielding dairy genetics suitable for smallholder dairy farmers.

The three-year AADGG Project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was launched on 30th May 2024 in a significant event held in Kigali. In his remarks, Dr. Ndorimana J. Claude, Director General of Animal Resources Development at the Ministry of Agriculture & Animal Resources, commended the enduring partnership with ILRI and MINAGRI/RAB for enhancing Rwandans' livelihoods. He highlighted that the AADGG project is pivotal in achieving the country's dairy sector targets.

The objective of the launch was to present the project to key actors in Rwanda's dairy industry and to create synergy with related initiatives.