Reducing the sale of milk through informal channels, lowering the cost of production as well as increasing compliance and quality assurance will be among the key agendas for the Kenya Dairy Board in its quest to steady the dairy sector.
Currently, the country is only utilizing 40.5 percent of its milk processing capacity due to low milk supply affected by seasonality in production and the huge costs of animal feeds.
With animal feeds taking up 70 percent of the total cost of production, the government has embarked on a project aimed at enlightening dairy farmers on better ways of making their own feeds and silage to be used during the dry seasons.
The project that has already been piloted in 9 counties has so far seen the cost of milk production drop to 14 shillings from 24 shillings per kilogram.
At the same time, 90 of the targeted 350 milk coolers with a capacity to store 3,000 litres have been imported and distributed to various counties with 20 more expected in two weeks.
The remaining ones are expected by June this year to help reduce sale of milk through informal channels that currently reach 60 percent of the market.
Kenya Dairy Board is rooting for amendment of the Dairy Act to allow recognition and commercialization of goat and camel milk.
The government plans to spend 538 million shillings on the livestock off take program in the arid areas if drought strikes this year.
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