The overall aim of the project is to enhance capacity of local dairy farmers in Western Kenya to produce safe milk, increase milk quantity and quality with the support of improved services, in particular through better organized dairy cooperatives. As a result, incomes of small-scale farmers, productivity of dairy cattle and food supply should increase and new jobs, especially for women and rural youth, should be created. Kenya’s dairy industry represents an estimated value of 4 % of gross domestic product (GDP), with an increasing domestic milk production (5.3 % per year), processing capacity (7 % per year), annual milk consumption per capita (5.8 %; currently at 110 litres) and a growing export potential.

Kenya’s dairy industry has a leading position in the entire region and strong economic interdependence with most of the neighbouring countries. However, more than 80% of the milk is produced by small scale farmers and about 80% of the produced milk is marketed through informal markets and consumed fresh. In order to include these small scale farmers into the formal milk market in view of increasing farmer’s incomes and milk quality, the Kenya National Dairy Master plan defines strategic actions.

The project addresses the key challenges to the implementation of those strategies, namely low production of dairy cows, seasonal cycles of low and high milk supply, poor milk quality and safety, poor animal feed supplies, lack of technical and management knowledge of producers, lack of investment by the private sector, market and product development, market intelligence and the risk of unfair competition from oligopolies in milk processing.

The animal health sector plays an important role as a support service, however, County Government services are insufficient to respond to the needs of small scale farmers and private animal health services are scarce. Service delivery through Animal health assistants, Articifical Insemination Technicians and through services by Agrovet Shops are being supported.

The main interventions to achieve the objectives are dedicated capacity building programs, support to local fodder production, marketing intelligence and advisory services to the dairy cooperatives and national dairy partners such as the Kenya Dairy Board.

GIZ decided to add a specific animal health component to this project in support to the county Veterinary Services to respond to identified needs for increased support of improved service delivery in view of improved local trade in dairy products.

The project works in close collaboration with other institutions like ILRI, KALRO, DTI, Bukara College and other ongoing international projects. The project works in close collaboration with other institutions like ILRI, KALRO, DTI, Bukara College and other ongoing international projects.