Kenya’s casual dairy sector is about for a serious transformation following the launch of the MoreMiLK: More Milk for Lives and Livelihoods in Kenya initiative.
Spearheaded by the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), this four-year mission goals to boost milk security, regulatory compliance, and market entry for small-scale dairy companies.
This four-year mission that’s funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, goals to enhance milk security, high quality and for small-scale casual dairy companies, guarantee entry to regulated markets, a capability growth and certification scheme.
This scheme will help their gradual transition into licensed enterprises that provide protected and high quality dairy merchandise.
Targeting small-scale dairy companies in Nakuru, Nyandarua and Uasin Gishu counties, the initiative will deal with present challenges by bettering milk dealing with practices and guaranteeing regulatory compliance whereas empowering distributors to thrive, and enhancing shopper belief.
The casual dairy sector performs a important position within the nation’s economic system and vitamin, offering inexpensive milk to thousands and thousands of households.
Dairy distributors function trusted ambassadors for vitamin, well being, and meals security of their communities.
Despite their essential position in society, they face vital challenges, together with lack of satisfactory help, incapacity to stick to greatest milk dealing with practices and regulatory necessities and difficulties to test and preserve product high quality and security.
The KDB, mandated to control and promote Kenya’s dairy sector, has made vital strides in addressing these challenges.
In 2021, KDB revised its dairy rules to align with fashionable know-how and market calls for, simplifying and automating allow processes and changing the KDB license with a cost-free, compliance-based allow for small and medium dairy enterprise operators.
These modifications have considerably lowered boundaries for small companies to take part within the formal economic system, paving the best way for extra inclusive and safer dairy markets.
Building on these regulatory developments and the successes of the MoreMiLK: extra milk for lives and livelihoods in Kenya 1 which confirmed that distributors are capable of enhance their milk dealing with practices when given the proper help and capability constructing, the MoreMiLK: extra milk for lives and livelihoods in Kenya 2 mission seeks to help casual dairy distributors to enhance the standard and security of milk bought within the semi-regulated markets.
The mission will encourage shoppers to purchase from trusted and compliant companies whereas empowering casual dairy operators to entry new operations.
“Our long-term vision is to have a formalized dairy sector in Kenya that provides safe milk and contributes to nutrition security, health, and economic growth. This initiative is an essential step towards achieving this vision.” Dr. Joshua Chepchieng, Secretary Administration State Department of Livestock Development.
The initiative aligns with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which identifies dairy as a precedence worth chain for growth.
By specializing in the three counties, the mission intends to create a enterprise case that demonstrates the feasibility of scaling as much as help the federal government’s goal of accelerating milk gross sales by regulated markets from lower than 20% to 50%.
“Through capacity building, incentives for change, and fostering an enabling environment, we are committed to supporting small and medium dairy enterprises. We believe that providing the necessary training, technology, and access to resources can uplift the entire dairy sector, ensuring healthier and safer milk for all Kenyans,” stated Margaret Kibogy, Managing Director, KDB.
The MoreMilk 2 initiative will ship vital modifications, together with improved milk security requirements, elevated regulatory compliance, and higher participation of casual companies in regulated markets.
It may also empower shoppers by rising demand for safer, high-quality milk and strengthen gender fairness by fostering collaboration between women and men within the casual sector.
The `MoreMiLK: extra milk for lives and livelihoods in Kenya` mission is led by KDB and ILRI. “The partnership is pivotal in transforming Kenya’s informal dairy sector. By combining research and regulatory expertise, we are improving milk safety, enhancing livelihoods, and driving national food security and public health progress. Together, we are building a professionalized, sustainable industry that benefits millions,” Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General, ILRI.
“Building on the success of the original MoreMilk project, and continuing to be grounded on sound research, this initiative aims to create a sustainable model that not only supports small businesses but also protects the health and well-being of Kenyan families,” Silvia Alonso, Principal Scientist/Project Lead, ILRI.
KENYA INFORMAL DAIRY SECTOR: FACT SHEET
- A number of details and figures derived from the Kenya Dairy Master Plan (DMP):
- The casual sector is a big a part of the Kenyan dairy sector and handles a big proportion of the marketed milk, estimated at between 55 – 70% of home marketed milk.
- The whole home demand for milk is predicted to extend 2.83 instances from 4.5 billion litres to 12.67 billion litres.
- Kenyan shoppers have a powerful choice for recent liquid milk
- Informal milk retailers promote a median of fifty to 100 litres a day and sometimes at about half the worth of processed milk.
- Demand for milk is projected to double from 110 litres in 2010 to 220 litres in 2030.
- Informal dairy sector has little voice or position in dairy sector coverage making.
- Transformation of the casual dairy sector is an goal within the DMP and imaginative and prescient 2030 as a method to meet the rising city demand whereas creating jobs, incomes and public revenues.