- Tugen Hills Farmers’ Cooperative Society has warned it may close its dairy processing plant after milk deliveries fell from 86,000 litres in 2024 to 22,000 litres this year.
- The cooperative attributes the decline to poor farming practices, costly animal feeds, expensive artificial insemination services and limited government support.
- Leaders are urging greater investment in modern dairy farming, subsidised inputs and farmer training to revive milk production in Baringo.
Milk deliveries to Baringo’s largest dairy cooperative have crashed from 86,000 litres in 2024 to 22,000 litres this year, threatening its main plant.
The Tugen Hills Farmers’ Cooperative Society has reported a sharp decline in milk production, warning that the trend could force the closure of its dairy processing unit if urgent interventions are not implemented.
Speaking during a farmers’ education meeting held at Katimok Coffee Factory grounds in Baringo North Sub County, the cooperative’s Secretary, Mark Yatich, said milk deliveries from members have fallen significantly over the past three years. He cited poor farming practices, expensive production inputs and inadequate government support for the dairy sector.
Yatich revealed that the cooperative, which serves dairy farmers in the cooler highland areas of Baringo County, has recorded a steep drop in milk production, from 86,000 litres in 2024 to just 22,000 litres by June this year.
Unless production improves, he warned, the cooperative may be forced to shut down its main dairy unit in Kabarnet Town. The facility currently supplies milk to hotels, restaurants, institutions and businesses across the county, including Marigat Township.
Addressing more than 300 farmers during the meeting, Yatich urged all stakeholders in the dairy production sector to work together to reverse the declining production and strengthen the region’s dairy industry.
He said the cooperative has partnered with development organisations to improve local cattle breeds through modern programmes aimed at increasing milk yields and enhancing farmers’ incomes.
READ ALSO:
According to Yatich, many farmers in Baringo North and Baringo Central cannot access affordable artificial insemination services because the county lacks subsidised programmes. As a result, most are forced to rely on costly private providers, while others continue using local bulls that produce lower yielding offspring.
“We do not have subsidised artificial insemination services within Baringo North and Central, and farmers are dependent on commercial services whose prices are very high, while the rest rely on local bulls with reduced production,” he said.
The cooperative’s dairy section officer, Haron Kemei, attributed the declining milk production to free ranching livestock management and the high cost of animal feeds. He appealed to the county government to subsidise livestock feeds to make dairy farming more affordable and profitable for small scale farmers.
County Cooperative Development Officer James Maina encouraged elderly coffee farmers to allocate small portions of their land to young people and women, saying this would promote economic inclusion and reduce recurring family disputes over farming resources.
Maina pointed out that although youth and women provide much of the labour in coffee farming, many do not directly benefit from the proceeds. Involving them more actively in production would strengthen household incomes and improve succession in agriculture.
The cooperative’s Vice Chairperson, Sam Too, praised the large turnout at the farmers’ education forum, saying the training had equipped members with practical knowledge to address production challenges.
He pledged to organise more grassroots training sessions led by agricultural experts, to help farmers adopt modern farming practices, improve productivity and increase household incomes.
By Bernard Magada
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
