Dairy farmers milk county’s empowerment project

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya launches the dairy programme at Friends Secondary School Kongoni in Likuyani. [PHOTO; BENJAMIN SAKWA/STANDARD]

Households will get free dairy cows in a project Kakamega County says will raise milk production and help farmers diversify agricultural produce.  The county has pumped in Sh55 million into the project so that the 600 dairy cows it purchased will be given to farmers in 10 households in each of its 60 wards.

Governor Wycliffe Oparanya says the county is working with other development partners in this 10-year venture.

“The project also aims to encourage farmers to diversify their agricultural produce and embrace other crops like sugarcane to enhance food security,” the governor says.

In partnership with investors from the Netherlands and Equity Bank under Smart Dairy Programme, the county will set up a milk processing plant “This programme is the first of its kind in Africa,” observed Oparanya.

To meet the growing demand for milk, farmers will also get loans.

Equity Bank has set aside Sh2 billion for farmers who want credit under this programme,

The project is being monitored through digital platform. Farmers will get dairy farming tips in a Short Message Services (SMS) platform

Kulati Wangia, the County Executive in-charge of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives, says the county’s primary motivation is to enhance food security and generate income. Ultimately, 5,000 people will benefit through newly created jobs, he said.

 Under the programme, farmers are given an in-calf heifer and they are obliged to pass on the first female offspring to another beneficiary, who is selected by various committees. The choice of the recipient is validated by the county’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives.

Some beneficiaries, who were selected by committees at the village level then vetted at the ward level, says their family incomes have increased in tandem with their welfare,

 Chris Makokha, a farmer from Matungu Sub-County, whose dairy cow gave birth last March, says the extra income he gets has allowed him to expand his farm

“The milk I get to feed my family is more than enough, so I’m much more comfortable as  I am now able to sell the surplus and earn Sh300 daily,” noted Makokha, who now uses cow manure on his  maize farm.

Richard Liyayi of Shinyalu says his dairy cow produces ten litres of milk every day.  “Dairy products have been added to the family diet,”   says Liyayi.

Oparanya is currently in the Nerthelands where a meeting with investors is planned to fast-track the establishment of the milk processing plant.

The programme has been largely successful and the only blight was the eight cows that succumbed to yellow fever.

The county administration wants more subsistence farmers to commercial their farming ventures because    small-holder dairy production accounts for 99 per cent of the total milk production and supports more than 68,000 dairy farmers.

The total milk production in 2014 was 102 million litres against an annual demand of 197.60 million litres.