Kirinyaga county will spend Sh58.5 million to support dairy farmers during the year.
The support will go towards the purchase of milk processing equipment, power backup generators, a milk tanker and supporting Artificial Insemination (AI) services.
Governor Anne Waiguru has said through a partnership with the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) project, 62 dairy farmers groups have been supported with Sh31.
It will be spent on improving dairy cattle breeds through AI, feed formation and silage making. About 1,550 households will benefit.
Improving cattle breeds will be done in collaboration with the Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Center (KAGRC). It will increase milk production and improve cattle's immune system.
“The goal of this program is to ensure that farmers increase their milk production and get more value from it so that they can uplift their living standards," the governor said.
She said the county aimed to increase milk production from the current daily average of four litres per cow to 13 litres which she said would be made possible through improved breeding.
The governor said another Sh27.5 million will go into installation of semi-automated yogurt production units for Rung’eto and Kirima Dairy Farmers Cooperative Societies.
It will also pay for installation of a 150KV power backup generator and its housing for Podago Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society and purchase of a 10,000-litres milk hauler for Rung’eto Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society.
She said yoghurt production equipment can process about 500 litres, which will add value to milk. The power generator will ensure seamless operations in case of a power failure. The milk hauler will enhance speed transportation of milk.
Kirima Dairy Cooperative Society manager Beth Kariuki said the support will enhance productivity of the society. She said they will upscale their yogurt production to commercial levels.
Currently the society has manual yogurt production equipment, which can only produce a 100 liters of yogurt per day, which is just enough for internal consumption.
“Improved returns will be an incentive to farmers and make them add more dairy cattle to increase milk production for more income." she said.
Governor Waiguru said in three years, the county government has supported the dairy sector by installing milk cooers for cooperative societies and given required technical extension services to farmers.
(Edited by V. Graham)
