Makueni County is steadily turning its dairy farming dream into a reality through targeted programs designed to transform the sector into a major income earner and nutrition booster for local households.
During a dairy farmer’s day held at Makiou Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society on Thursday, it was revealed that with the current milk production of about 40 million litres annually in Makueni, the county still imports milk to meet its demand.
However, the county government has turned this gap into an opportunity—rolling out a set of long-term solutions through its Dairy Development Strategy underpinned by four pillars: Improved dairy breeds, Better livestock nutrition, Robust disease management and Modern milk aggregation and marketing systems
During the field day, Agriculture Chief Officer Japheth Kiminza shared how Agriculture Department is taking bold steps to grow the dairy sector from the ground up. Kiminza noted that the county is focused on strengthening the entire dairy value chain to benefit farmers directly.
Among key programs by the county government in place to support this goal include subsidized Artificial Insemination (AI) initiative to help farmers access quality breeds at affordable rates, and the introduction of Makueni Animal Feeds Development Strategy which ensures year-round access to nutritious livestock feed.
In the event that was attended by the Cooperative’s chairperson Paul Wasanga, the Chief Officer noted that the Livestock Department is running a robust vaccination campaign against major dairy diseases, alongside regular farmer training sessions on best dairy practices—making dairy farming both productive and sustainable.
Additionally, the county government has invested heavily in boosting dairy farming by supporting local cooperatives with a good number of the 18 dairy cooperatives spread across the county receiving vital equipment such as milk coolers, pasteurizers, transport vehicles, electricity connections and even mini-processing plants.
Notably, Kikima and Kathonzweni Dairy Cooperatives are among those benefiting from these upgrades.
These improvements are helping farmers handle milk better, maintain quality and earn more from their produce.
As the county celebrated the strides made in dairy farming, it was noted that partnerships with development agencies like the World Bank (through NAVCDP and DRIVE) and FAO have emmensely contributed towards helping scale up feed security and commercialization.
This year’s theme, “Makueni is investing in its farmers, its children’s nutrition, and its future through dairy,” reflects Governor Mutula’s commitment to improving lives by ensuring food security, growing household incomes, empowering communities and promoting agro-industrial growth across the county.
The CO urged dairy farmers to step up and showcase their achievements at the upcoming Makueni Agricultural Show in early August.
