Nandi County unveils its US$9.27M Kabiyet milk processing plant

KENYA – The county government of Nandi has opened its latest milk processing factory, The Nandi Cooperative Creameries (NCC), which is expected to benefit dairy farmers, create jobs for residents and boost nutrition in the county.

The facility, which is a partnership between the World Bank and Nandi County, is located in Kabiyet Township, Mosop Sub County, and is expected to process over 200,000 litres of milk per day.

Nandi Governor Stephen Sang stated that the facility features an ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk production line set to revolutionise dairy farming by extending the shelf life of milk, reducing post-harvest losses and opening up new markets for local farmers.

With the UHT line now operational, Nandi is poised to become a leading milk producer in the region, supplying high-quality, long-life milk to local and international markets.

The facility, commenced in 2019, promises to eliminate the exploitation of dairy farmers by middlemen, create both direct and indirect employment opportunities, and enhance the nutrition of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) pupils.

Additionally, the initiative is aimed at reducing the distance between farm gates and markets, as well as addressing post-harvest losses, ensuring that the milk reaches processing facilities in optimal condition.

“Since the advent of Devolution in 2013, dairy farmers in Nandi County have been advocating for the establishment of such a milk processing plant to purchase and process milk directly from them, thereby eliminating the exploitation by middlemen,” Governor Sang highlighted.

“These intermediaries often purchase a litre of milk at a mere Sh30 before transporting it to urban centres, where it is sold at Sh70 per litre, doubling the buying price.”

This move is expected to attract investors, create jobs and enhance food security, further solidifying Nandi’s reputation as the “dairy hub of Kenya”

Present during the commissioning was MCA Walter Teno, who lauded the project as a game changer for dairy farmers.

Also in attendance were the Nandi County technical team and directors of the Nandi Dairy Cooperative Union (NDCU), who expressed optimism about the plant’s potential to boost income and strengthen the dairy value chain.

The new facility comes at a time when the dairy industry in Kenya is projected to grow by 53% by the year 2028, with an average of 10% annual growth year over year as a result of interventions by the Nourishing Prosperity Alliance: Forage for Animal Growth in East Africa (NPA-Forage).

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