This archive report was first published on 20 November 2019.
Murang'a County's Dairy Sector Success Story ¶
As dairy farmers across the country struggle with decreased milk prices, Murang'a farmers are reaping the benefits of the county's innovative initiatives, which have stabilized milk prices at Sh35.
Under the leadership of Governor Mwangi Wa Iria, the devolved unit united 50 dairy societies and formed an umbrella cooperative, purchasing 50 milk coolers for each society. The county also introduced a milk collecting system, ensuring that milk is transported to the umbrella Cooperative creamery based at Maragua, which has started processing the milk.
According to Governor Mwangi Wa Iria, the milk project was a key agenda item when he sought votes in 2013, with a promise to introduce a policy framework protecting farmers from unscrupulous brokers. His administration invested Sh500 million in buying and installing 50 milk coolers, establishing a working supply chain to the milk sector.
"My administration invested in Sh500 million to buy and install the 50 milk coolers to the already formed cooperatives to establish a working supply chain to the milk sector, we then assisted the farmers transport their product to the respective companies to reduce the cost of production since we had not constructed a processing plant but we made it clear to the companies that our milk would be bought at a steady price of Sh35," the governor said.
After consolidating the farmers into cooperatives and purchasing the milk coolers, the devolved unit partnered with Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) to buy high-grade napier grass and sweet potato vines for the farmers, increasing milk supply and fodder for dairy cows.
"We were ridiculed when we did these things, but with time farmers who understood our concept started feeling the effects and about 100, 000 farmers opened accounts and started receiving better returns," he said.
The devolved unit has also purchased a factory for the farmers to process their milk, aiming for value addition and attracting better returns. The factory, which processes 60,000 litres of milk daily, has created permanent jobs for 25 people and employed an additional 40 locals as casual labourers.
Next year, the devolved unit plans to introduce a one-home-one-cow program, providing a cow on loan to each family in Murang'a, repayable at Sh20 per day. This initiative aims to ensure that all county electorates reap benefits from the sector.
Published on November 20, 2019, at 11:02 AM EAT.
