Gatundu fighting poverty one cow at a time

Mang’u Progressive Dairy Farmers Chairman Gabriel Karia shows Manager Wambui Njoroge the group’s new milk cooler, which has the capacity to chill 2,000 litres. It was donated to the group by the Kiambu County government. [PHOTO: KAMAU MAICHUHIE]

KIAMBU: November 2014 marked a turning point for a group of men and women from Mitero village in Gatundu North.

Earlier that month, the group had met to brainstorm on economic ventures that would help alleviate the area’s high poverty and unemployment rates.

After extensive deliberations, a village ‘cabinet’ was formed, and individuals appointed to, among other dockets, agriculture.

The dairy value chain was identified as a significant opportunity. The year before, in 2013, the man who was now in charge of agriculture, Gabriel Karia, had accompanied his neighbours to the Brookside Livestock Breeders Show and Sale at Jamhuri Park, Nairobi.

The show transformed Mitero village’s perception about dairy farming after they learnt it was possible to commercialise the sector and make it a regular income earner.

With the learnings from the show still fresh in his mind, Mr Karia convinced his fellow villagers to join hands to set up a dairy group. This led to the formation of Mang’u Progressive Dairy Farmers, with an initial membership of 24.

To ensure they had a market for their raw milk, the group signed a deal with Ruiru-based Brookside Dairy. On the first day of operations in November 2014, the group sold 114 litres of raw milk to the processor.

Karia, who was elected the first chairman of the group, told Business Beat the group initially faced myriad challenges, among them a lack of financial resources.

“We approached Brookside, and under its farmer empowerment programme, it provided us with equipment to test the quality of our milk,” said Karia.

Armed with lactometers and alcohol guns, the group embarked on a vigorous recruitment drive to draw new members and grow its productivity. Today, Mang’u Progressive has 202 members.

“Besides collecting milk from our members, we have an arrangement with Brookside to collect milk from another 170 farmers and deliver it to Ruiru,” Karia said.

Last month, the group delivered 51,321 litres of milk, with non-members delivering 48,000 litres.

Demonstration farm

The chairman, who has a background in animal husbandry, attributed the performance to the knowledge members have gained from their partnership with the milk processor and other players in the industry.

“We have benefited from farmers’ field days organised by Brookside staff, Ministry of Agriculture officers and other stakeholders who empower our members on various aspects of dairy farming. Our farmers have also benefited immensely from Brookside’s demonstration farm in Kiganjo [in Gatundu South sub-county],” he said.

The growth of dairy farming in the area has seen many young people who were jobless embrace the venture to earn a living, and residents have taken more interest in the sector.

Gabriel Kariku, who is in his early 30s, has four cows producing 60 litres of milk a day. He sells this to Brookside at Sh32 a litre through Mang’u Progressive. This means he rakes in about Sh57,000 a month from raw milk sales.

“Brookside has provided an assured market for our raw milk. It has also ensured there is market stability, unlike the informal market which is unpredictable,” Mr Kariku said.

He intends to purchase six more cows by December to maximise earnings.

“I cannot complain. Things are good so far. I get good money from dairy farming, which is enabling me educate my children and meet my family’s other needs.”

Mang’u Progressive’s manager, Wambui Njoroge, said as a result of the group’s success, banks have been lining up to work with them to boost dairy farming in the area through the provision of credit to members.

“Banks are providing farmers with access to cheaper loans to buy better dairy cows to increase milk production,” said Ms Njoroge.

Formal market

The group recently received a donation of a milk cooler from the Kiambu County government. It has the capacity to chill 2,000 litres of milk. Members are also awaiting delivery of another cooler from Brookside with the capacity to chill 5,000 litres.

This is expected to enable the group collect more milk and properly store it before delivering it to Ruiru.

Karia said he expects the group to produce more than 10,000 litres of milk a day, mopping up all the milk in the area that is available for sale and channeling it to consumers through the formal market.

“We will also be forming a Sacco to provide an affordable platform for members to access credit for buying better dairy cows and improving their dairy farming.”

John Gethi, Brookside’s director of milk procurement, said the processor is keen on empowering groups to produce more milk as dairy is a volume-based enterprise.

“During this year’s Brookside Livestock Breeders Show and Sale, farmers will get an opportunity to learn about feed preparation and conservation as one way of addressing the seasonality of milk production,” he said.

“We want to ensure our farmers shift from rain-fed agriculture so that production of milk remains above optimum levels throughout the year.”

[email protected]