December 06, 2022

Feeds Alliance: Subsector change initiative creating sustainability in the Kenyan dairy sector

Animal Production Related

Kenya

With the demand for milk in Kenya constantly on the rise, there is need to capitalize on this through increased productivity, quality, and efficiency in the dairy sector. However, one of the biggest hindrances to realizing this is the availability of quality cow feed throughout the year. Erratic rainfall patterns and lack of access to improved, drought-resistant fodder varieties cause fluctuations in milk production.

In 2021, the 2SCALE-KDPL partnership started a subsector initiative, dubbed Ng’ombe Ishibe, Pesa Iongezeke (A well-fed cow leads to increased profits), that seeks to address perennial fodder and feed challenges experienced by Kenyan dairy farmers by increasing and accelerating fodder and forage production, preservation, utilization and commercialisation.

The initiative began with the registration of farmers with 5 acres and above in Nyeri County as potential fodder producers. Through 2SCALE’s partnership with Kieni Dairy Products (KDPL), feeds innovations were piloted and so far, 600 farmers have been trained on fodder business opportunities and linked to cooperatives as potential fodder markets.

To implement the initiative, the actors have formed an informal alliance called Feeds Alliance and are in the process of registering a Feeds Association that will act as a permanent secretariat of the alliance. The membership includes fodder producers, dairy cooperatives and private sector players including seed suppliers, fertilizer companies, farm machinery suppliers, silage bag manufacturers, insurance companies and commercial fodder buyers.

Creating awareness of the Feeds Alliance initiative and recognising its champions

Thursday, the 24th of November 2022, marked a tremendous milestone for players in the dairy value chain in Nyeri County, Kenya. The Feeds Alliance, supported by 2SCALE in collaboration with the County government of Nyeri, hosted a Learning and Award Ceremony for the subsector change initiative.

The ceremony provided a platform to create awareness of the initiative that has seen an increase and scaling up of the adoption of fodder production and preservation and recognise and appreciate the Feeds Alliance members who are championing the alliance’s fodder innovation ideas. The newly registered Feeds Alliance also launched its 5-year strategic plan, outlining its vision and objectives, and the alliance’s website.

Key stakeholders in the dairy sector, including dairy farmers, producer organizations, the private sector players in agriculture, research bodies, national and County governments, and development partners, graced the event.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the alliance, Paul Muhoro, presented the intended strategic plan elaborating on the three pillars from which it had been formulated, which are sustainability, production and marketing and stakeholder management. As an implementation tool, action plans were developed and included for monitoring and evaluation processes in assessing progress made towards their objectives.

A panel discussion on fodder and the subsector initiative revealed the impact of the project since its inception. Dedan Thiong'o, a farmer, and large-scale fodder producer shared his experience :

Through linkage with the stakeholders in the alliance such as Advanta seeds, 2SCALE and the county government, I have increased production of fodder on my 3-acre farm. By giving my cows quality feeds, their milk production and, consequently, my profits have increased threefold.

The guest of honour, the Governor of Nyeri County, Hon. Mutahi Kahiga, emphasised the government's continued support of the initiative. He elaborates,

In Nyeri County, getting quality feed for our cows has been a big challenge. It is common knowledge that quality feeds are essential in promoting increased production of milk and in turn increase farmers’ profits. This initiative by 2SCALE is a great approach to solving this problem in the county. The government will continue to support the Feeds Alliance so that our farmers can access quality feeds.

The CEC of Agriculture in Nyeri County, James Wachihi, also expressed the government's commitment to providing an enabling environment to promote development in the dairy sector by working with partners like 2SCALE to ensure appropriate policies are developed and implemented.

The Governor presented awards to various actors who have played a pivotal role in promoting improved fodder adoption through the subsector change initiative. They included service provider entrepreneurs, smallholder farmers, cooperatives, input providers, financial and research institutions, development organisations, the media and the government. The farmers, cooperatives and service provider entrepreneurs were excited to receive functional awards such as rain gun sprinklers, silage rolls, molasses, weighing scales and chaff choppers.

The diversity of the players recognized at the ceremony, having championed the innovation’s ideas in different capacities, demonstrated the importance of an inclusive system. With every player’s input at various levels, the initiative has expanded within Nyeri county.

The Inclusive Agribusiness Advisor for the 2SCALE-KDPL partnership, Eliud Nkunja, highlighted that the event was the beginning of scaling greater heights in promoting fodder adoption and utilization. He says,

More farmers in Nyeri are showing interest in and learning about fodder production. They are also sharing this knowledge with their neighbours and other farmers. We are hoping that the subsector initiative will expand to other regions in the country for sustainable national growth in the dairy industry.

George Mwaniki Ngunjiri, one of the beneficiaries of the initiative was more than happy to share his experience. He is one of the smallholder farmers who have seen a complete transformation in his dairy farming activities after adopting the production and utilization of improved fodder. He shares,

Fodder production has been very beneficial to my farming. Silage-making allows me to ensure there’s feed for my cows even during the dry season. With consistent milk production, I have a reliable source of income.

Additionally, he brought attention to the need for better land policies that would enable the farmers to acquire land and increase their fodder production.

Understanding the importance of high-quality cow feed in boosting milk production is key to promoting the adoption of better practices. The learning and award ceremony presented an opportunity to create awareness of the initiative and bring in more players to ensure its sustainability and expansion.

Learn more about the Feeds Alliance here: https://feedsalliance.org/

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