Bomet opens Sh60m milk plant for ECDE learners

Plans for a free feeding programme in nursery schools in Bomet have picked up with opening of the Sh60 million Chebunyo milk processing plant in Chepalungu.

Installation of the Sh43 million equipment in the Sh17 million plant will enable the county-managed operation to process milk for free delivery to all Early Childhood Development Education centres.

The equipment incudes a 200-litre per hour pasteuriser, a 200-litre per hour homogeniser, pouch filling machine, ice water accumulator, steam boiler, yoghurt and sour milk processor,

World Vision Kenya donated Sh13 million while the county contributed Sh30 million for equipment. Bomet built the plant for Sh17 million.

Governor Hillary Barchok said the plant was part of his agenda to make Bomet a dairy county. He said it would encourage farmers to venture into dairy farming.

He said the county will be farmers' first buyer and will offer good prices to protect them from exploitation by private firms and middlemen.

Private milk processors buy milk from farmers at Sh25 to-Sh30.

Speaking during the opening of the plant, the governor said since Bomet is a leading milk producer, the dairy sector should get more support for maximum profits.

He said the county is rich in biodiversity and resources and gets sufficient rainfall year round, making it ideal for dairy and other agriculture.

Present were MCAs and county officials.

Barchok said the county has more than 303,000 dairy farmers of  Friesian, Ayrshire and Jersey breeds. The sector is valued at Sh21 billion and produces 497, 000 litres of milk daily. The county aims for 995,000 litres per day.

Farmers sell about 148,000 litres daily, 60 per cent marketed through informal markets in Nyamira, Kericho, Kisii, Migori, Kisumu and Narok.

Farm use and wastage through spillage accounts for 10 per cent of total production.

The average productivity per cow is 4.3 litres per day, compared with average global productivity of 40 litres per day.

Barchok attributed low productivity to poor husbandry, inefficient animal research, poor feeding, inadequate breeding services, lack of extension and advisory services from veterinarians and low market access.

The governor said the county has established disease surveillance systems, enhanced subsidised AI services, provided low-cost pasture seeds, strengthened the dairy union and established milk coolers.

The county is now poised for value addition through the new plant, he said.

(Edited by V. Graham.