Agriculture & Microenterprise Development

Kenya Dairy Development Programme (KDDP)

The Kenya Dairy Development Program (KDDP) is an USAID funded program, implemented by Land O'Lakes, in partnership with African Breeders Service Total Cattle Management (ABS), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and World Wide Sires (WWS).

The program focuses on promoting milk and dairy products through promotional campaigns to increase consumption of dairy products. KDDP also focuses on processors and entrepreneurs, where interventions lead to an improved cold chain, improved quality and new dairy products with increased handling capacity. For dairy producers, KDDP interventions improve animal production during dry seasons and develop smallholder business capacity.

The African Breeders Service Total Cattle Management (ABS) is developing dairy input delivery services throughout medium and high potential areas in Kenya, and strengthening breeding management services providers within the dairy industry. ABS has developed an input supply and market information database and has networked this information through catalogues and newsletters among key private and associated players within the dairy sector.

The World Wide Sires (WWS) is strengthening extension service to the sector, providing breeding inputs, and strengthening agro vet stores. WWS has also introduced “Best management practices” and quality Artificial Insemination (AI) services as a technology to improve productivity for dairy producers.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) uses its research to provide information for targeting of interventions, policy advocacy and assesses, trains and demonstrates the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach adapted to livestock production needs. ILRI is preparing delivery packages and addressing specific problems that combine simple decision support tools to enable extension workers to work with farmers. ILRI provides  technical information for the project.

Summary of Key accomplishments

* KDDP has benefited over 25,000 farmers since inception in 2002 training them on agri-business skills and linking them to business service providers in the first year of the program. KDDP is working with a number of cooperatives that have recorded productivity increases in output /cow/day with some of them, including Wamunyu Cooperative recording an average of 10.5 litres /cow /day against a baseline of 8.6 litres/ cow/ day.

*  During the year 2003, figures from a National Retail Audit by Research International East Africa Ltd. indicate that the formal milk sector grew by 9.6% in volume while value was up by 8.4%, attributable to aggressive consumer promotional activity for the sector by processors and generic campaigns by Kenya Dairy Processors Association supported by the KDDP marketing team. This compared very favourably to declines in most fast moving consumer goods categories in Kenya in categories with a tradition of good growth. (Research International)

* KDDP completed consumer research necessary to progress with marketing activities, and findings have  elped focus promotional support programmes.

KDDP assisted cooperatives to install or rehabilitate cooling systems leading to improved milk quality and higher prices paid for chilled milk.

* Through KDDP’s intervention, Agri Radio programmes are being aired in conjunction with private companies such as Sigma feeds and Cosmos pharmaceuticals through Jillat Agro rural Media. The program Kilimo Shambani has been heard by 21% of the adult population in the country meaning approximately 2,000,000 people accessing the radio program. There are an increasing number of users of interactive voice response, a telecommunications link that avails required market information through a recorded voice mail message. The interactive voice response is accessed through a phone number 0900 552050 enabling callers to selectively choose market information they may need. In addition  the internet site www.eadairy.com has more detailed information attracting high  frequency of visits.

* As a result of KDDP activities on improved feeding strategies at farmer level and management at the Cooperative level, one cooperative society recorded an 85% increase in handling of milk since inception in 2002.

* KDDP has trained 603 inseminators and Agrovet owners. KDDP has also trained 92 new inseminators who are all involved in insemination at the moment.

Other key highlights

A summary of key highlights and activities accomplished in 2003:
* The official opening of Greenlands Dairy a major private/public sector alliance behind ‘Uchumi milk’ that impacts 15,000 farmers in the Aberdare region
The Greenlands dairy is a joint venture between a local farmer’s cooperative society, and a private investment firm that saw dairy farmers link up with a private investor to buy a dairy plant that processes milk for Uchumi supermarkets, a leading retail chain and a Greenlands brand of pasteurised milk available in convenient stores in Nairobi. This initiative was brokered by the Land O Lakes business development team implementing activity for KDDP.

* A comprehensive assessment and review of Artificial insemination (AI) services, was extended to include breeding. This review was carried out by ILRI with extensive contribution from ABS TCM and WWS among others. One of the major productivity threats afflicting this sector is inbreeding, hence the significance of the decision to extend the assessment to include breeding.
*  Lobbying with the relevant policy authorities that led to certification of privately trained inseminators.
* High profile opening of KDDP initiated programs
1. The official opening of the Wamunyu co-operative milk cooling activities
2. The inauguration of the Market Information Systems (MIS) by the USAID Director and the Minister for Livestock and Fisheries development.
3. The official opening of Kaptumo cooperative milk activities
These three are reflective of capacity building interventions by KDDP in dairy business management that has seen these cooperatives  develop micro processing capacity to produce value added products including, fermented milk and yoghurt for their local markets. This activity earns substantially higher returns for the farmer members of the cooperatives

* An increase in semen imports from the US over the same duration. Players in the distribution have also increased to six( 6). A total of 20,282 doses of American bovine genetics were bought versus targeted 18,000 Doses.

* The  program benefits from  4 Peace Corps volunteers working with cooperatives in Machakos, Nandi, Nyandarua and Kiambu, targeting interventions in Agri-business management, with commendable results in Wamunyu, Masii, Kaptumo and Endarasha cooperative societies that have seen significant improvements. The Peace Corps volunteers live and work with the communities, applying their skills from more developed agri-business environments back in the USA.

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