The Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) has entered into an agreement with the Kenya Market Trust (KMT) in a move meant to spur milk production, quality enhancement and safety measures.

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The memorandum of understanding between the duo organizations comes awake of concerns raised over informal markets most of which face handling, hygiene and safety challenge when it comes to milk.

KDB Managing Director Margaret Kibogy has said the collaboration will among others help the Board to address the issue of quality and regulations through massive training of milk traders and dispenser operators which will be spearheaded by KMT.

“The partnership will see KMT conduct trainings for 250 traders across the country on safe milk handling and 100 dispensing operators to enhance quality and pilots on sustainable model to transforming formal milk channel,” the Managing Director said.

She said the partnership will further foresee creation of a certification system for milk traders and dispensing operators.

Kibogy spoke Tuesday at a Nairobi hotel during a Consultative workshop on sustainable partnerships in formal and informal milk marketing for enhanced market access and compliance.

She said the workshop will also factor on stakeholder consultations on how to develop market linkages between milk processors and traders in the interest of consumer safety and enhanced access for quality and safe milk.

Kibogy said that out of the 3.9 billion litres of milk produced by the country,70 percent was being sold through informal marketing while only 30 percent goes through processing to the final product sold to consumers.

The Managing Director further said the board has implemented several measures that aims to transform milk marketing among them acquisition of 300 dispensers to boost milk storage, suitable licensing and use of modernized dairy processing and preservation technology.

KDB Technical Services Manager Dr. Philip Cherono said the Board will soon unveil the Animal Feed and Fertilizer regulation in order to address the supply and sell of poor quality animal feeds.

Cherono said the production of milk per cow in a day has gone down due to use of low quality animal feeds.

Present at the workshop was KMT Chief Operations Officer Katano Mwosa who emphasized that there is need to put in place adequate measures that will guarantee the safety and hygiene of milk products sold to the public.