Boost for Kiambu Dairy Farmers after Inauguration of Dairy Processing Plant

Thika,

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

KNA by Hellen Lunalo

Over 5000 smallholder dairy farmers are expected to benefit after the inauguration of a dairy plant worth Sh150 million in Kiambu County.

The milk processing factory that is expected to boost the region's dairy sector was officially inaugurated by Caritas Nairobi, the relief and development agency of the Catholic Church. Kiambu county falls under the Archdiocese of Nairobi.

Speaking during the official unveiling of the facility in Limuru, Nairobi Archbishop Phillip Anyolo said the church was obligated to feed the people spiritually as well as economically.

“In putting up this facility, we aim to empower local communities engaged in dairy farming to address food security and malnutrition. Tackling hunger and food security is a collective responsibility for all of us. The launch of this facility is not only about the inauguration of a milk processing unit, but also about promoting the livelihoods of our people.”

 “In a world where millions of people suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition, this initiative is a beacon of hope and solidarity for farmers to enable them face the food security challenges. As a church we will continue to strengthen the agriculture and livestock sector through our programmes,” Archbishop Anyolo said.

 While pledging the church's commitment to supporting dairy farming in Kiambu County, the Prelate urged the government to implement initiatives that would reduce the cost of animal feed as farmers were facing losses caused by additional costs due to the rising prices of commercial dairy feeds.

The Caritas Dairy Unit which sits on three acres of land has a processing capacity of 20,000 litres per day and has employed fifty people with an additional sixty people benefiting indirectly through services such as milk transport and office work.

 The unit collects milk from farmers which is then pasteurised, chilled and marketed. Plans to process dairy products such as yoghurt and fermented milk in the near future are also underway.

Peter Wambugu a dairy farmer from Rironi in Limuru said he was happy with the facility as he no longer had to travel far to supply milk from his farm.

“Previously I had to make my way to a dairy in Githunguri which is quite far and the transport costs were very expensive. I would incur many losses as sometimes the milk would go bad on the way to the dairy. However, with the launch of the Caritas dairy, I don’t have to factor in transport costs as it is not far and I can now supply my milk on a daily basis unlike before where I would skip some days of the week,” said Wambugu.

The dairy sector plays a crucial role in the growth of Kenya’s economy contributing significantly to the country’s GDP, with an estimated 5.1 million dairy farmers, the majority of whom are smallholders who produce 5.2 billion litres of milk per year generating over Sh230 billion in revenue.

Courtesy; KNA