Giant milk processor Brookside Dairy has launched a countrywide programme aimed at transforming dairy farming from a subsistence undertaking to a sustainable commercial enterprise.
Over 160,000 dairy farmers targeted by the programme could be destined for a better year in the initiative that will involve intensive training of farmers to enable them to operate above break-even points in the dairy enterprise.
Brookside’s general manager in charge of milk procurement and extension services, John Gethi, said the processor was working with both individual farmers and dairy groups to increase the amount of milk sold to processors as one way of increasing income for farmers.
“Our primary objective is to increase the dairy income of smallholders through interventions such as practical training so as to improve farm productivity," said Gethi, during the the launch of the farmer training courses at Mau Summit, Molo.
"Ultimately, the farmer must benefit from good agricultural practice which will guarantee better farm profitability.”
Gethi revealed that the milk processor has invested in a training schedule that enlightens farmers how to reduce post-harvest milk losses through sharing of information on proper handling of the produce to prevent spillage and inadvertent contamination.
He said many farmers were having cows of low genetic potential and reiterated that there was need to improve quality of dairy herds through use of modern breeding methods like artificial insemination.
“To increase milk production, we are asking farmers to use better feeds on their animals.
"With the seasonal nature of milk, which is affected by changes in weather patterns, farmers need to invest in feeds preservation to ensure that dairy animals produce optimum volumes of milk, both in quality and quantity, throughout the year,” said Gethi.
He revealed that dairy farmers in Nakuru County earned Sh600 million last year from raw milk sales to Brookside, representing a 10% growth over the previous year.
The officer attributed the rise in farmers’ income to an aggressive training programme carried out by the processor last year, which benefitted more than 10,000 dairy farmers.
“We intend to increase the number of training courses so that as many dairy farmers as possible benefit from increased knowledge in animal husbandry,” he said, adding that no other agricultural undertaking assured farmers of a regular income like raw milk sold to processors.
The general manager disclosed that the company was collaborating with dairy groups in key raw milk sheds to entrench record keeping as a strategy to increase efficiency on the smallholder farms.
“Farm records are tools for ensuring optimum performance of the farm. Records are a must regardless of the size of the farming operations.”