When Krysta Harden and her leadership team traveled to Kenya a year and a half ago, they weren’t just visiting another potential export market. They were planting seeds for what could become one of U.S. dairy’s most important long-term relationships — one built not just on commerce but rather on shared values, farmer-to-farmer connections and a commitment to empowering women in agriculture.
All eyes are on Africa, which is expected to represent a quarter of the world’s population by 2050, making the continent an increasingly critical focus for global food security and agricultural trade.
“In exports, you have to be looking short term, midterm and long term,” says Harden, president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC). “We have to keep the ball moving in our established markets, but we also need to be looking around the corner to see where middle incomes are growing, where need is growing, where there’s not enough dairy produced locally and where we can augment and complement.”
That corner-looking led USDEC to Africa — specifically Kenya, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal — where growing populations, rising incomes and insufficient local production create both opportunity and responsibility for U.S. dairy.
Beyond Proximity: Competing With Europe
The challenge is real: European dairy suppliers have deep historical ties and geographic proximity to African markets. Most dairy imports into countries like Senegal currently come from the European Union (EU). So how does U.S. dairy compete?
“They have great products,” Harden acknowledges. “We don’t go in and bash our competitors. That doesn’t help dairy in general. We all need to be uplifting the role of dairy.”
Instead, USDEC focuses on what makes U.S. dairy distinctive: consistency, high quality, long-term commitment and the ability to scale production to meet growing demand.
“We talk about our interest in the region, helping them have choices — something most any business person wants,” Harden explains. “They do not want to be sole-sourced. They know we can grow in the U.S. We’re going to have product for a long time and even more product because we can expand.”
That message resonates.
“They’re very enticed by the U.S. business community saying, ‘Hey, we want to ramp up our presence in this part of the world,’” she notes.
The Logistics of Building Trust
Success in East Africa won’t happen overnight. USDEC’s ingredients team is currently conducting what Harden calls reconnaissance — meeting with potential partners, importers, consumer groups and the financial community to understand the landscape.
The logistical challenges are significant: establishing trading lines, navigating tariff and nontariff barriers, ensuring payment systems work and building cold storage and distribution infrastructure.
“Many of these countries want to pay up front and pay quickly,” Harden notes. “They don’t live on credit. They get a product; they want to pay for it or even pay in advance. So, it’s very different than what you would expect.”
But those challenges also represent opportunities to build trust through reliability and transparency.
“In five years, I’m going to look back and say, ‘Heck, we started then, and look at what we’re doing,’” she predicts.
Making the Case for Dairy
As in many emerging markets, plant-based alternatives are being aggressively marketed in sub-Saharan Africa. Harden’s response? Tell dairy’s nutritional story clearly and confidently.
“Animal proteins are different. They are better,” she says plainly. “Dairy absorption of proteins — simple things that a common person may not think about, but an athlete might — the common consumer is starting to see there is a difference.”
She emphasizes dairy’s complete nutritional profile: not just protein but also the micronutrients and bioavailability that can’t be replicated through fortification.
“There is no substitute for the high protein value of dairy in a nutritious diet — all ages too, not just kids,” she adds.
Kenya, already a significant dairy-producing and consuming country where people drink milk in their tea, understands this instinctively. South Africa has a sophisticated production system and strong consumption culture. The challenge is ensuring that as these markets grow, U.S. dairy is positioned as a trusted partner.
Sustainability in Translation
When African customers ask about sustainability — and they do — Harden says it’s critical to understand they’re asking about more than environmental practices.
“It’s not just environmental. That’s just one element,” she explains. “They want to know about our farmers’ commitment to natural resources, to the animals, to their employees. Obviously, the economics — stability and sustainability of an industry — is very important.”
The key is listening carefully to what customers actually want to know, rather than assuming Western sustainability frameworks translate directly.
“Some words are used, overused or don’t translate perfectly,” Harden notes. “So, you really just have to listen to your customer. What are you looking for? What do you want to see?”
Often, the most powerful answer comes from farmers themselves.
“As soon as a farmer stands up there and says, ‘This is why I do this, and this is how I do this,’ there’s acceptance, there’s understanding,” she says. “We have to tell our story about dairy and not let our competitors tell our story.”
The Power of Women Farmers
Perhaps no part of USDEC’s Africa strategy is more personal to Harden than the focus on empowering women in dairy production and processing.
“We’re raising visibility to many of the trials and difficulties that women in Kenya and across the world face,” she says. “Being able just to own land, to be able to make the decisions once they’re paid — they don’t have the financial responsibility to manage their own money in many cases.”
She describes meeting Kenyan women who do all the work — caring for animals, selling milk, managing the household — but never control the income they generate.
“They may do all the work. They may sell the milk. They get the payment, and it goes to somebody else, a male member of their family, to manage and make the decisions,” Harden explains. “Do we feed the kids? Do we buy another cow? Whatever it might be.”
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that women produce half of the world’s food.
“If we don’t value half of that food production, half of us are going to go hungry,” Harden says.
She’s seen progress during recent visits to Kenya, where women farmers are increasingly being asked to speak at events, being recognized for their contributions and learning to navigate leadership roles.
“It’s fun to watch,” she says. “For the first time, they’re the ones being asked to speak. They’re the ones being recognized, and I think it’s going to be good for their country and for the world because these women are good farmers.”
Leading by Example
Harden credits U.S. dairy’s own women leaders — including Dairy Management Inc. Chair Marilyn Hershey and the first female USDEC chair, Becky Nyman — with making this conversation possible.
“I’m lucky to work in a U.S. industry led by women farmers,” she says. “Not because they’re women, because they’re good farmers. They’re good businesspeople. They make wise decisions and they care about nourishment.”
That example translates globally.
“I think that makes dairy stand out a little bit, at least in our country and we’re able to translate that to the rest of the world,” she adds. “I’m proud of that. I have to tell you, it just gives me so much pride and I’m honored to work for these women leaders.”
The Road Ahead
The path forward in Africa won’t be easy. Tariff and nontariff barriers vary by country; Senegal is easier to navigate than Kenya, though Kenya has a larger population. Building distribution networks, establishing cold chains and creating reliable payment systems all take time and investment.
But Harden is clear about the stakes: “We’re never wanting to displace any farmer. We need more farmers in our world. But we can complement, augment, help grow the pie for dairy in a diet, and we’ll have our piece of it.”
She frames trade not as zero-sum competition, but as mutual benefit.
“When dairy is allowed in a country, it helps nourish people,” she says. “People who are full and well-fed make much better decisions, and we want to be a part of that kind of stability and security going forward.”
For Harden, who has traveled to 26 of Africa’s 54 countries and spent countless hours talking with farmers — especially women farmers — this work is deeply personal.
“I always have kind of a soft spot for the continent,” she reflects. “Being able to play any kind of role in making sure women are recognized for their contributions to nourishing the world, their own families, their communities and the countries, plus the rest of us — it’s just very rewarding.”
As U.S. dairy looks five to 10 years into the future, success in Africa will be measured not just in tons of product shipped or dollars of revenue generated but instead in relationships built, trust earned and lives nourished.
“It’s just the beginning,” Harden says. “I think we’re going to continue to have these conversations. We’re opening doors for women, and I’m proud of that.”
