Kakamega County unveils AI station to strengthen dairy sector

KENYA – Kakamega County has strengthened the dairy sector with the commissioning of an Artificial Insemination (AI) Station at Springfield Farmers Cooperative Society in Likuyani Sub-County.

The AI Station is an initiative of the National and County Government through the NAVCDP Project under the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG), supporting Governor Barasa’s Food Security and Wealth Creation agenda.

Speaking during the event, Mr. Mandela said that the facility will improve access to quality breeding services, enhance milk production, and increase farmers’ incomes.

The facility will serve farmers in Likuyani, Lugari, and neighboring sub-counties, leading to improved breeds, increased milk production, and surplus milk aggregation through cooperative societies; ultimately improving farmers’ livelihoods.

NAVCDP remains committed to empowering farmers and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

The commissioning comes weeks after the County Government of Kakamega convened a high-level consultative meeting, bringing together Artificial Insemination (AI) service providers and County Veterinary Officers to strengthen and revitalise dairy cattle breeding through improved AI service delivery.

The initiative is being implemented in partnership with FIPS–Africa, a non-governmental organization committed to advancing sustainable dairy breeding systems and enhancing smallholder farmer productivity.

The meeting was officiated by the CECM for Agriculture, Mr Mophat Mandela, as central to the discussions was the establishment of a strengthened institutional collaboration framework with clearly defined roles to ensure effective implementation of the program.

Under this arrangement, KDDC will host the project and provide essential cold chain storage infrastructure to guarantee the proper handling and preservation of semen and other genetic materials.

This will safeguard quality, maintain viability of breeding inputs, and improve reliability of AI services across the county.

The County Government, through the Directorate of Veterinary Services, will offer policy direction, regulatory oversight, technical supervision, and quality assurance to ensure professional standards are upheld and farmers’ interests are protected.

FIPS–Africa will subsidize the cost of AI services, making high-quality breeding solutions more affordable and accessible to dairy farmers.

During the meeting, AI service providers were taken through the detailed provisions of the collaboration agreement, including operational guidelines, service standards, reporting requirements, and accountability measures.

They were requested to formally endorse the partnership by signing the agreement and committing to adhere to the established terms and conditions. This step is aimed at promoting professionalism, transparency, and uniform service delivery under the program.

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