KDB launches 5-year strategic Plan 2023/27

Kiambu,

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

KNA Wangari Ndirangu

The Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) has launched its Strategic Plan for the years 2023 to 2027.

The plan intends to guide on how the board will regulate the Dairy industry for health and wealth of the Dairy value chain actors in the country and also identify measures of success that will support the delivery of their mission.

 In a speech read on his behalf by the Principal Secretary State Department for Livestock Development Jonathan Mueke during the launch at the KDB headquarters in Kabete, Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi said the dairy sector plays a crucial role in Kenya's economy, contributing significantly to food security, nutrition, and livelihoods for millions of Kenyans across the country.

“It is through strategic planning and innovative approaches that we can harness the full potential of this sector as this strategy outlines the roadmap for the next five years and is also designed to enhance the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the dairy industry, " said the CS.

To achieve this, Linturi noted that the Strategic Plan further addresses key priorities including improving milk production and quality standards, promoting value addition and market access, and strengthening regulatory frameworks to ensure consumer safety and industry compliance.

“ This Strategic plan is a testament to the collective commitment to excellence in dairy production, processing, and marketing and outline pathways for fostering innovation, enhancing market access, promoting value addition, and improving regulatory frameworks, all of which are crucial for positioning Kenya as a key player in dairy production in the world”, Linturi said .

During the launch, the new Kenya Dairy Board Head Office was also commissioned which symbolizes a new chapter of growth and professionalism for the Kenya Dairy Board.

The state-of-the-art facility will serve as a hub for collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders within the dairy value chain. It reflects our determination to provide the necessary infrastructure and support systems that empower the dairy industry to flourish

The Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) Chairman Genesio Mugo said the strategic plan is anchored on five key results areas and each is crucial to achieving the board's overarching goals and ensuring the prosperity of the dairy industry.

He named the Dairy industry compliance, dairy production and value addition, market access, sustainability and Building institutional capacity that will be looked at in the 5 year strategy and ensure they build a more resilient, prosperous, and sustainable dairy industry that benefits every Kenyan.

 The Director Corporate at KDB Peter Mutua said their objective was to create an enabling policy and regulatory environment for the dairy industry so that they support growth , enforce quality and safety requirements of dairy produce so that consumers are sure of the safety of the produce they are consuming.

In terms of dairy production and value addition, the strategy will support the dairy industry to achieve a 20 percent annual growth in production and value addition which is significant in terms of addressing other national issues, including employment.

On market access, he explained that the strategic objectives will facilitate their industry to grow exports by 200 million liters annually, facilitate growth in domestic consumption of dairy products by 10 percent and this he said is significant in realizing the growth of the Kenyan economy.

 In terms of sustainability of the dairy industry Mutua noted that another priority will be to address issues of climate change by promoting climate smart agriculture in the dairy industry to achieve a net zero impact on the environment and also enhance research, innovation and learning in the dairy sector.

The Government's Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) plan of 2022-2027 commitment selected dairy in the agriculture sector as one of the key value chains for transformation given its massive potential to impact on the socio economic welfare of the country and millions of small holder producers.

The goals are to double annual production of milk from the current 5.2 billion litres to 11 billion litres and grow annual exports of dairy produce to 1 billion litres of milk equivalents by 2027.

Courtesy; KNA