By FRANCIS MUREITHI
Industry stakeholders highlight that weak management practices contribute to failures in dairy co-operatives, with elected leaders frequently lacking essential governance skills.
Brookside Dairy, collaborating with over 300 dairy co-operatives nationwide, launched a 2019 initiative to train board members from 27 counties. The program focuses on financial management, performance metrics, and internal controls to enhance co-op sustainability.
"Dairy co-operatives are critical to farmers' livelihoods and industry growth," said John Gethi, Brookside's director of manufacturing and milk procurement. "Training leaders ensures member farmers benefit from improved operations and long-term investment strategies."
The program, developed with the Co-operative Bank's Co-op Consultancy and Insurance Agency, aims to equip co-op officials with tools to navigate competitive markets and expand member assets.
