The Department of Livestock, Fisheries & Cooperatives in Elgeyo Marakwet County plans to bring all dairy cooperatives under a Dairy Union with the aim of establishing a dairy processor to improve farmers’ earnings through value addition. A feed factory to enable farmers access certified quality feed, a milk and feed analyzer laboratory to test the cancer-causing aflatoxin also feature in the plans.
The average household milk production in Elgeyo Marakwet County has increased from 3kg to 6.7kg according to the country government. It attributes this to various interventions including Artificial Insemination, Heifer Distribution programmes, improved extension and enhanced disease surveillance & control. The County has also sourced and installed 19 Coolers to various Dairy cooperatives in the County. The County has an average dairy milk production of 180,000 litres and is known to have the highest butter fat content.
The Department of Livestock, Fisheries & Cooperatives Directors and staff lead by the Chief Officer, Dr Benson Kibore, Cooperative Societies Officials representatives from Kamet dairies & Kapsait Dairy Association representatives paid a visit to Muranga County to learn from their strong Dairy Cooperative movement.
The Murang’a Dairy Cooperative Union processes over 50,000 litres of milk per day from a chain of over 35 milk coolers. Each month the cooperative Union pays farmers over Kshs 150million.
