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August 25, 2022

Engaging private sector actors to enhance fodder production in Meru, Kenya

Animal Production Related
Kenya

In Meru County, the dairy farming system serves as a major source of income for smallholder farmers. While smallholder dairy farmers transition to market-driven dairy production, they often struggle with low productivity due to a shortage of quality and nutritious feed for their livestock, especially during the dry season.

Increasing milk production in a sustainable way presents benefits and constraints that must be managed appropriately. Consistent support is a driving force that keeps smallholder farmers engaged and maximizes production. The Meru Dairy Union (MDU)-2SCALE partnership seeks to empower smallholder dairy farmers by equipping them with the resources, networks, skills and knowledge required to produce and preserve quality livestock feed, to last them throughout the year.

The 2SCALE-MDU partnership works with farmers, 53 primary cooperatives, the government, the private sector, learning institutions and other actors to enhance sustainable access and utilisation of feeds. One of the companies that the partnership is working with is Advanta Seeds, which provides different drought-tolerant and nutritious feed varieties. Advanta introduced sugargraze, a hybrid sorghum variety with high sugar content, among other varieties to Meru farmers. The crop is of high value because it is drought resistant and contains high energy levels needed by cows. In addition, this hybrid fodder crop regenerates after cutting. From a single crop, a farmer can harvest fodder up to three times.

In 2021, the partnership trained smallholder dairy farmers and silage service providers in Meru on improved fodder production and management. Producing their own fodder and silage feed leads to reduced production costs since they no longer have to rely on commercial feeds during dry seasons. The silage and hay service provision is a key service provided mostly by youths. It not only increases the chances of making quality silage but also creates employment in the dairy sector. 

Bernice Githinji, 47, is one of the most progressive farmers in Gachua, Meru County. She farms maize, beans and sorghum on her five acres of land. She has been practising dairy farming for about seven years and was among the first farmers to plant sugargraze on her farm in October 2021. By January 2022, she had already harvested her first round of fodder. From this maiden harvest, she made silage and has it stored, in readiness for the dry season. She fed her cows with the second harvest directly from the farm and will soon be harvesting her third round.

In addition to sugargraze, Bernice has tried Brachiaria, Desmodium and Panicles. However, sugargraze has emerged as the best in terms of nutritive value, yielding multiple harvests and the fact that it presents the option of feeding directly or making silage. For Bernice, the change in milk production brought by switching to sugargraze as livestock feed did not go unnoticed. She narrates:

Sugargraze is the best alternative for my livestock. When I started, I only had three cows and I would rely on maize crop residue from my farm. From this, I would collect about 15 litres of milk per day. Having incorporated sugargraze into my livestock feed, I have witnessed a remarkable increase in the amount of milk my cows produce. Nowadays, I collect up to 46 litres a day from four cows. On top of being able to buy another dairy cow, I have also purchased an acre of land to expand my farm operations, through the increased income.

Owing to her growth, Bernice has solved some of the challenges they face as smallholder farmers. Milk spoilage used to be a constant worry for farmers in Gachua. Milk collected in the evening would often go bad because most farmers did not have access to a fridge or cold storage facilities. Bernice was able to solve this by mobilizing the farmers to preserve their milk at her home, where she owns two large freezers. Every evening, she has up to 120 litres stored for morning delivery.

She has served as an inspiration to the farmers in her area. Recognising her success with improved fodder, they approach her for advice on planting, harvesting, and preserving the feed as silage. Some farmers also opt to buy ready-made silage from her.

Sustaining Livelihoods through Local Cooperatives

The partnership has also supported the strengthening of farmer cooperatives in Meru, to serve the smallholder farmers' financial needs and facilitate the supply of the milk they produce to MDU. Bernice is the chairperson of Gachua Dairy Cooperative, a local cooperative formed in 2015. She explains:

MDU has played a big role in the growth and sustenance of our dairy farming ventures. Before the partnership, we used to sell our milk through brokers at very low prices of KES 25-28 (USD 0.21-0.24), per litre. After switching to Meru Dairy, we started realising the benefits of dairy farming because the milk sells at better prices of about KES 35-36 (USD 0.30) per litre- and sometimes even higher. Also, many businesses struggled to stay afloat when the pandemic hit. We, however, were not affected because the union continued to collect our milk throughout.

Gachua Dairy Cooperative currently has a total of 276 members, that is 36 men and 240 women. In 2021, MDU has established a SACCO that supports the financial needs of its farmers and dairy cooperatives. The Sacco allows for providing credit when a member is in need. The SACCO has been a source of credit for Dairy Cooperatives affiliated with MDU. Farmers who are members of the cooperatives, on the other hand, have been accessing advances against their milk proceeds and planting seeds from their respective societies on credit and paying back slowly through deductions from the sale of their milk.

Promoting profitable, environmentally responsible, and community-friendly farming techniques makes farming sustainable. Through such interventions, the MDU-2SCALE partnership has enhanced access to high-yielding fodder crops such as sugar graze to smallholder farmers in Meru County, thus increasing productivity. Consequently, Base of Pyramid consumers have enhanced access to safe and nutritious dairy products all year round.

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