By NAFTAL MAKORI
Farmers in Nyamira County have been asked to grow fodder crops to reduce costs incurred in acquiring manufactured dairy feeds.
The Ministry of Livestock, through its Small-Holder Dairy Commercialisation Programme (SDCP), said fodder would drastically lower costs of feeding dairy animals and enable small-scale farmers to make profit.
SDCP National Coordinator Moses Kembe said the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) and the Livestock Ministry programme emphasise on the need for value addition and accessibility of markets for dairy products.
“The programme is helping dairy farmers in Borabu District to put up milk processing plants to preserve milk and add value to maximise gains from dairy farming,” he said.
He added that SDCP had piloted a school milk project to open up markets for milk products and train farmers on milk handling.
Mr Kembe, who visited several farms, said Ifad was working with the Government to make dairy farming affordable to poor rural farmers.
He noted that parts of Nyanza and Western provinces faced milk shortage forcing locals to rely heavily on Rift Valley to meet the local demand.
SDCP is being implemented in nine districts across the country while promoting dairy goats and cattle production. Clement Ocharo, a farmer, said the programme had enabled him to acquire knowledge on proper husbandry but lamented increased stock theft.
