The government has distributed milk coolers in a major move aimed at strengthening Kenya’s dairy sector, reducing post-harvest losses and improving farmers’ earnings across the country.
Speaking on Wednesday during the flagging off ceremony, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe said the initiative will enhance milk preservation, improve quality standards and support value addition within the dairy industry.
Kagwe noted that milk hawking remains a major challenge in the sector, warning that unregulated milk trade poses serious health risks to consumers and limits opportunities for value addition.
“Hawking is dangerous in many ways because it interferes with our ability to produce by-products such as cheese and yoghurt, but more importantly, it becomes a health issue because we cannot guarantee the safety of unprocessed milk,” he said.
The CS urged parents, especially mothers with young children, to ensure they purchase processed and certified milk products to avoid diseases associated with contaminated milk.
He further called on milk processors to work closely with farmers in monitoring production and supply, saying proper records would help streamline the dairy value chain and protect the market from exploitation by middlemen.
On production costs, Kagwe said the government is implementing measures to lower expenses incurred by dairy farmers through the promotion of large-scale farming of yellow maize and soya for animal feed production.
According to the CS, the government is leasing public land to investors willing to engage in feed production in order to reduce the cost of livestock feeds, which remains one of the biggest challenges facing dairy farmers.
He added that the rollout of solar-powered milk coolers is intended to reduce electricity costs for cooperatives and milk collection centres.
“The reason we are doing this is so that the farmer can earn more money. When a farmer is doing well, the country is also doing well,” Kagwe stated.
He observed that the dairy sector continues to create employment opportunities through milk processing industries producing products such as yoghurt, cheese and milk powder.
The CS assured farmers that the government is fully committed to ensuring stability in milk prices by expanding milk powder processing capacity.
Kagwe explained that processing excess milk into milk powder would help address seasonal surpluses and open export opportunities in African markets.
“We want to ensure that there is never a glut of milk in the country. Milk powder has a huge market across Africa and that is why we are encouraging processors to invest in milk powder production,” he said.
He disclosed that the Ministry is engaging the National Treasury to remove import duty on equipment used in milk powder processing to encourage investment in the dairy processing industry.
At the same time, Kagwe said the government is shifting focus from quantity to quality milk production through improved dairy cattle breeds and better animal husbandry practices.
He challenged institutions such as the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) to increase production of affordable high-quality dairy cows for farmers.
According to the CS, the government is subsidising sexed semen to improve dairy genetics and increase milk productivity among farmers.
“The Ministry purchases sexed semen at about Sh9,000, but farmers are accessing it at subsidised rates of about Sh1,500 to help improve the quality of dairy cows,” he said.
He challenged public institutions with livestock breeding capacity to bridge the gap by producing quality breeds at affordable prices.
The CS underscored the importance of training farmers on proper livestock management and animal welfare, saying dairy farming requires professional skills and proper handling of animals to maximise productivity.
“There is need to utilise trained personnel in the dairy sector because proper feeding and management can significantly increase milk production even with limited resources,” he added.
Kagwe encouraged farmers to remain committed to dairy farming, describing the sector as a profitable venture capable of transforming livelihoods and improving household incomes.
He assured cooperatives that the government would continue expanding support programmes in line with increased milk production and market demand.
“My ministry is about ensuring that farmers become rich because when farmers prosper, the entire country prospers,” Kagwe said.
By Anita Kariuki and Lilian Gichohi
