Kajiado: The government through the State Department for Livestock Development has distributed four milk coolers to dairy farmers' cooperatives in Kajiado County under the Livestock Value Chain Support Project.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Principal Secretary for Livestock Development, Jonathan Mueke, stated that the coolers will aid in reducing post-harvest milk losses, improving milk aggregation, and enhancing milk quality. Mueke emphasized that more than 2,000 farmers are expected to benefit from the project, with the equipment valued at Sh28 million.
He further noted that the department will provide training for farmers on quality milk production to enable them to earn better returns. Additionally, the government plans to introduce testing machines to measure protein, butterfat, and bacteria content in milk, thereby assisting farmers in improving quality and profitability.
Kajiado woman representative Leah Sankaire expressed her support for the initiative, highlighting that the coolers will improve milk storage and support women engaged in dairy farming across the county. She mentioned that the four cooperatives were selected through a thorough assessment to ensure fair distribution across Kajiado County.
The cooperatives benefitting from this project are Emparnat, Enchipai, Nasiru, and Lenkism Dairy Farmers Cooperatives. Sankaire assured that her office will continue to support dairy cooperatives through initiatives focused on milk production, marketing, and value addition, all aimed at improving livelihoods and promoting economic growth.
Jane Nanoyia, one of the beneficiaries, expressed that the coolers will significantly reduce milk spoilage caused by inadequate storage facilities. She added that farmers are eager for value-addition training to enable them to produce products such as yoghurt and butter for additional income.
The Livestock Value Chain Support Project is part of the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), aimed at strengthening the dairy value chain and enhancing livelihoods.