Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS), Mutahi Kagwe, has called on dairy farmers in Tharaka Nithi to increase milk production as the government moves to support the establishment of milk processing and value addition facilities in the region.
Kagwe said the county currently produces about 57 million liters of milk annually, which he noted was insufficient to sustain a milk processing plant at full capacity.
He said increasing milk production would require farmers to adopt high-yielding dairy breeds, improve animal feeding, and embrace modern breeding technologies.
“The first thing is to increase milk production. Fifty-seven million liters is not enough to sustain a processing factory at full capacity,” Kagwe said.
The CS said the government had already intervened through the provision of sexed semen, which he said would help farmers progressively improve the quality of their dairy herds.
He clarified that while conventional semen previously cost about Sh7,000, sexed semen was priced at approximately Sh9,000, noting that government support had helped make sexed semen more accessible to farmers.
Kagwe urged farmers to make greater use of sexed semen across the county to increase the number of productive dairy animals and improve milk yields.
He, however, said improved breeds alone would not be sufficient unless the cost of animal feed was addressed.
“The thing that drives the cost of milk production, and ultimately determines whether a dairy farmer or investor makes money, is the cost of animal feed,” he said.
The CS said the government was working to lower feed costs by making large government farms available for production of yellow maize, which is suitable for livestock feed.
He added that the government had provided for duty-free importation of yellow maize to increase its availability for animal feeding.
Kagwe said farmers practising zero grazing could significantly improve milk production through proper breeding, feeding, and animal husbandry.
He also pledged government support towards increasing the number of productive dairy animals in the region, saying the initiative would be undertaken in partnership with the county government.
The CS said more agricultural extension and veterinary officers were needed to work directly with farmers by providing advice on breeding, feeding, animal health, and dairy management.
“All these interventions are intended to help us increase the quantity of milk available for processing here,” he said.
Kagwe said the government was prepared to support farmers but urged them to also take the necessary steps to improve production.
“We must work together to increase milk production, reduce the cost of production, and ultimately establish the capacity for milk processing and value addition within this region,” he said.
The CS’s remarks come as dairy stakeholders in the region seek to revive milk processing and expand value addition opportunities for farmers.
The Kenya Kwanza Government has greatly reduced the cost of agricultural production, making farming more profitable for our people.
Fertilizer prices have greatly gone down, making more farmers contribute to the country’s food security. Sexed semen is also within reach for a majority of our farmers, while certified seeds are now 50 percent cheaper.
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki said the eight coolers issued, six from the National Government and two from the County Government, will go a long way in reducing post-production losses and improving farmers’ incomes.
He said the county government was committed to lowering costs, increasing productivity, and empowering farmers in the dairy sector.
Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki said farmers in the region were ready to embrace value addition and called on the government to support the revival of milk factories.
“We want our milk factories to come back. We are good producers of milk. Also, give us some value addition machines; we are ready for that step,” said Mbiuki.
The CS spoke during a dairy sector engagement attended by, among others, Chuka MP Patrick Munene, Kenya Dairy Board Chairman Genesio Mugo, Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute Managing Director Dr. Alex Sabuni, Kenya Veterinary Board Managing Director Dr. Mary Agutu, and representatives of the Livestock Value Chain Support Programme (LVCSP).
By Dickson Mwiti
