Kenya launches DANIDA-funded ADAPTiVE project to boost milk production

KENYA – The University of Copenhagen has launched the DANIDA-funded ADAPTiVE project to develop climate-adaptive practices to boost milk production and safety in Marsabit County.

The project is in partnership with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), University of Nairobi (UoN), Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), and Karare Women Dairy Cooperative.

The project seeks to develop and test climate–adaptive strategies that promote sustainable milk production and improved milk safety, while identifying practical and scalable approaches suited to pastoralist milk-producing communities.

The project, from September 15–18, 2026, brought together project partners and community members to exchange ideas on the research, gather feedback, refine data collection tools, and mobilize community support for the project.

The project’s Principal Investigator, Prof. Jørgen Dejgård Jensen of the University of Copenhagen, said the research will help empower communities, particularly women in pastoral communities, to make informed decisions and adapt to a changing climate.

He noted that the impact of climate change on the dairy sector is not determined by climate conditions alone, but also by the decisions made at different stages of the value chain, from livestock management and milk production to handling, marketing and consumption.

Dr. Monicah Maichomo, a Veterinary Epidemiologist at KALRO, urged the County Government to support the community in implementing the project through strengthened public–private partnerships.

This would be done with the ultimate goal of translating the research outcomes into commercially viable, scalable solutions that enhance pastoral milk production, milk safety, and livelihoods.

Despite noticing positive progress in the cultural shift, she decried the slow progress at which the community is adapting and implementing the resources that have been availed to them to boost milk production and commercialization.

A major focus of the project is the Karare Women Dairy Cooperative, a women-led organization that provides market access for female milk producers in Marsabit.

The partnership aims to strengthen women’s role in the dairy value chain while exploring ways to make milk a more reliable source of income for pastoralist households.

The project also incorporates capacity building through PhD training, scientific publications, stakeholder engagement and knowledge sharing.

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