Kakamega banks on Sh240m new 'smart dairy' initiative

A farmer receives a dairy cow from Governor Wycliffe Oparanya (second left)during the launch of the second phase of One Cow programme at Bulanda Primary School in Butere sub-county, last year. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The county government has embarked on a Sh240 million Smart Dairy farms initiative.

Deputy Governor Philip Kutima said through the project, each of the 12 sub-counties will have a fully-fledged Smart Dairy farm station at a cost of Sh20 million.

The sub-counties are Malava, Lugari, Likuyani, Navakholo, Shinyalu, Lurambi, Ikolomani, Mumias West, Mumias East and Butere. “So far we have established two such stations at Bukura in Khwisero and Matungu sub-counties and we shall be rolling out more of them,” Prof Kutima told The Standard in his office yesterday.

The facilities have each a capacity to accommodate 25 pedigree dairy cows. “Our focus is to transform Kakamega from a net milk importer to a chief exporter of dairy products going forward,” said Prof Kutima

The county has been relying on milk supplies from the neighbouring Nandi County, which accounts for more than 80 per cent of milk consumed in the area.

According to the official, Sh50 million has been earmarked in the 2018/2019 financial year budget for putting up a milk processing plant at Tumbeni in Malava sub-county. “We have already acquired an eight-acre piece of land and erected a fence in Malava,” said Prof Kutima.

This is in addition to the Sh34 million milk processor installed at Bukura Agricultural College by German and Dutch governments last year.

Richard Wekesa, the college principal, had earlier indicated that the facility, with a capacity to process 10,000 litres of milk daily, would also produce a broad spectrum of dairy products, including yoghurt, cheese and butter.

The processor is expected to serve farmers from Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga, Busia and Siaya counties.

The county’s One Cow Initiative launched three years ago by Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has seen households receive 600 pedigree dairy cows free of charge.