Kenya’s ‘More Milk’ initiative boosts small-scale dairy vendors

KENYA  – Kenya’s dairy sector has experienced significant transformation, with small-scale dairy businesses seeing improvements thanks to initiatives like the More Milk for Lives and Livelihoods in Kenya project. 

This collaboration between the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) aims to enhance milk safety, regulatory compliance, and market access for small-scale dairy vendors. 

According to a report by the Kenya Dairy Board, this project is part of a broader effort to strengthen the informal dairy sector, which has historically represented 60% of the industry. 

The initiative, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, is being implemented in Nakuru, Nyandarua, and Uasin Gishu counties.

The More Milk initiative focuses on training and equipping vendors to improve the quality of the milk they sell. 

Esther Wanjiku, a milk vendor in Kangemi, Nairobi, shared her personal journey of transformation through the training she received. 

“I’m no longer afraid. Now, I can answer their questions and address their concerns because I genuinely want to improve my business,” Wanjiku said, emphasizing how the training has given her confidence and positively impacted her operations. 

She now focuses on ensuring quality and providing excellent customer service, selling between 70 and 80 liters of milk daily.

Margaret Kibogy, KDB’s managing director, stated that the More Milk initiative supports KDB’s mandate of ensuring milk safety and quality, from primary production to processing. 

Kibogy also pointed out the initiative’s contribution to formalizing the informal sector, aiming to increase the proportion of milk handled by formal businesses from 30% to 50% in the next five years. 

“We will be training them and building their capacity to ensure that the milk they sell to consumers is safe and suitable for consumption,” she said, highlighting the importance of training for vendors in improving milk quality.

Kenya’s dairy sector has also seen growth in both production and export markets. 

Milk production has risen from 800 million liters to one billion liters annually, with 85% of this being processed. 

The country’s export value has grown from Sh4.5 billion to Sh9.3 billion, signaling strong potential for growth. 

Kenya exports flavored milk to Somalia and yogurt to South Sudan, and Kibogy mentioned that KDB is developing an export strategy while identifying key markets, particularly in the Middle East. 

“The Ministry of Trade has been engaging potential markets in the Middle East, where there is interest in Kenyan products like ghee and butter,” Kibogy reported.

The sector’s expansion and the growing demand for Kenyan dairy products reflect its increasing global presence and the successful efforts to formalize and improve the quality of the dairy value chain in Kenya.