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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

County partners with NGO to increase milk production

Smart Harvest

By Nathan Ochunge | Aug 29, 2018

From right: Nicholas Daniels Government relations director East African region, Navakholo MP Emanuel Wangwe and Vice chair man of milk cooler Joseph Omito inspect a milk cooler during the launch of the cooler at Kochwa village in Navakholo that costed Sh 6.2 million. the cooler will serve over 2000 farmers in the area. [Photo: DUNCAN OCHOLLA/STANDARD]

A non-government organisation has partnered with the county government to help increase milk production in the region.

More than 16,000 dairy farmers are being targeted in 12 sub-counties.

One Acre Fund is now providing artificial insemination (AI) services to households at a subsidised rate to help farmers upgrade their dairy breeds and improve milk production.

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Speaking in Kochwa, Navakholo constituency, during the programme launch, One Acre Fund Manager Evans Libeya said the aim was to support the county government’s One Cow Initiative.

“Farmers were being exploited by private veterinary officers who have been charging them between Sh700 and Sh3,500 to serve their dairy cows,” said Mr Libeya.

“We will also give the farmers dairy meal and ultra-mix, and de-worm their livestock at subsided prices.”

Pedigree cows

Already, Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has distributed 600 pedigree dairy cows in the second phase of One Cow Initiative. So far, dairy cows have been given for free to more than 1,200 households.

Those who received dairy cows in the first phase have passed 1,310 heifers to other farmers within the self-help groups enrolled in the programme.

Under One Cow Initiative, selected farmers are given dairy cows and are supposed to pass any heifers to others after calving.

Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe, who attended the launch, asked farmers to cross-breed their cows to increase milk production as there was a ready market.

“I will purchase four milk coolers next month and have them installed in trading centres in the constituency to add to the one bought by the World Bank at Sh7 million,” said Mr Wangwe.