Nandi County Rejuvenates Dairy Farming with Strategic Plan

In Summary

• Nandi Cooperative Creameries (NCC) processes 200,000 liters daily, revitalizing dairy.
• Plan targets higher yields, reduced losses, and export markets for 100,000+ farmers.
• Key steps include expanding coolers, AI services, fodder production, and cooperatives.
• Challenges: high feed costs, climate risks, and limited mechanization.
• County aims to contribute 20% to Kenya’s 10 billion-liter milk goal by 2027.
• Partnerships with World Bank, KALRO, and private sector drive implementation.

Nandi County, a historic dairy hub in Kenya’s North Rift, is revitalizing its dairy sector through the KSh 1.2 billion Nandi Cooperative Creameries (NCC) in Kabiyet, which processes 200,000 liters of milk daily and employs ultra-high temperature (UHT) technology.

Launched in May 2025, the plant has eliminated middlemen, boosting farmer incomes and creating jobs. To fully rejuvenate dairy farming, Nandi must address high feed costs, low yields, and market inefficiencies.

Below are strategic steps to achieve this.

1. Expand Milk Collection and Storage Infrastructure

• Deploy Milk Coolers: Install 20 additional milk coolers (1,000–5,000 liters capacity) across Nandi’s 30 wards by mid-2026, complementing the national Livestock Value Chain Support Project’s 230 coolers (475,000 liters/day capacity). This reduces the 6% annual milk loss (KSh 7.9 billion nationally).
• Strengthen Collection Networks: Establish 15 new collection centers in remote areas like Tinderet, Aldai, and Mosop, with subsidized transport to NCC. This ensures farmers like Daniel Korir deliver milk efficiently, avoiding spoilage.
• Action: Allocate KSh 150 million for coolers and transport subsidies. Partner with the World Bank and Kabiyet Dairies to train 500 collection agents on quality control by 2026.

2. Enhance Livestock Genetics Through Artificial Insemination (AI)

• Subsidize AI Services: Expand the county’s AI Subsidy Programme to inseminate 50,000 cows annually with high-yield breeds like Ayrshires, as seen in the 2025 Nigeria export deal. Aim to increase milk yields from 5–7 liters to 15–20 liters per cow per day.
• Mobile AI Units: Deploy 10 mobile AI units and train 1,000 farmers per ward on AI techniques, addressing calls from farmers like Laban Talam for better genetics.
• Action: Collaborate with KALRO and private veterinary providers to distribute 10,000 AI straws by 2026, with a KSh 50 million budget. Establish AI hubs in Mosoriot and Kapsabet.

3. Reduce Feed Costs and Promote Fodder Production

• Subsidize Fodder: Establish 10 fodder bulking sites for drought-resistant crops like Brachiaria and Napier grass to address high feed costs, a key concern for farmers. Provide subsidized seeds to 5,000 farmers.
• Climate-Smart Fodder: Promote silage and haymaking for year-round feed availability, drawing on Furrows in the Desert’s expertise in arid agriculture.
• Action: Invest KSh 100 million in fodder programs. Partner with Egerton University to train 5,000 farmers on silage production and distribute 10,000 kg of Brachiaria seeds by 2026.

4. Strengthen Cooperatives and Market Access

• Empower Cooperatives: Bolster cooperatives like Kabiyet Dairies through share schemes, onboarding 20,000 new members by 2026 to access credit, inputs, and veterinary services. This builds on NCC’s empowerment of 100,000 farmers.
• Direct Market Linkages: Secure contracts with processors like Brookside and regional buyers in Rwanda and Uganda, ensuring stable prices (KSh 45–50/liter farm gate). Develop a KIAMIS-like digital platform for market connections.
• Action: Allocate KSh 150 million to digitize cooperative operations and link 50 cooperatives to markets. Host quarterly market fairs to connect farmers with buyers.

5. Promote Value Addition and Branding

• Leverage UHT Line: Utilize NCC’s UHT processing to produce long-shelf-life milk, yogurt, and cheese for local and export markets (e.g., Rwanda, Uganda). Train 2,000 farmers on value-added products like ghee.
• Create “Nandi Dairy” Brand: Develop a regional brand to market UHT products, emulating tea sector branding efforts, to boost export value to KSh 1 billion by 2027.
• Action: Invest KSh 200 million in branding and packaging facilities at NCC. Partner with KEBS to certify products for export by 2026.

6. Enhance Farmer Training and Extension Services

• Climate-Smart Training: Train 10,000 farmers on zero-grazing, disease management, and water harvesting to mitigate climate risks. Leverage partnerships with the Mastercard Foundation and Egerton University.
• Youth and Women Inclusion: Engage 5,000 young farmers and women through innovation hubs, addressing the aging farmer population, similar to KTDA’s tea sector model.
• Action: Deploy 100 extension officers and establish a dairy training center in Kabiyet with KSh 50 million funding by 2026.

7. Improve Disease Control and Veterinary Services

• Vaccination Campaigns: Intensify vaccination drives against diseases like foot-and-mouth, targeting 200,000 cattle annually with free or subsidized vaccines via NCC cooperatives.
• Mobile Veterinary Units: Deploy 10 mobile units to provide affordable services, addressing disease-related losses.
• Action: Allocate KSh 80 million for vaccines and veterinary units, partnering with the State Department of Livestock for 80% coverage by 2026.

8. Secure Financing and Subsidies

• Access to Credit: Partner with Cooperative Bank and the Agricultural Finance Corporation to provide low-interest loans for herd expansion and feed purchases, targeting 50,000 farmers.
• Insurance Schemes: Expand the fertiliser insurance model to include dairy, covering losses from drought or disease, as seen in the 2025 fertiliser scheme for 250,000 farmers.
• Action: Secure KSh 300 million in credit facilities by mid-2026, collaborating with Pula Advisors for insurance rollout.

Challenges and Mitigation

• High Feed Costs: Subsidized fodder production and silage training will lower costs, with county support for local feed processing.
• Climate Risks: Invest in water harvesting and solar-powered irrigation to ensure fodder availability during droughts.
• Market Competition: Strengthen branding and quality assurance to compete with regional producers like Uganda, leveraging NCC’s UHT capacity.

Implementation Timeline

• 2025: Launch training, install 10 coolers, distribute 5,000 AI straws, and initiate fodder sites.
• 2026: Complete cooler installations, digitize cooperatives, and secure export contracts.
• 2027: Contribute 20% to Kenya’s 10 billion-liter milk production goal, establishing “Nandi Dairy” as a regional brand.

Nandi’s dairy revival, anchored by the NCC and supported by strategic partnerships, positions the county to reclaim its status as a dairy powerhouse, enhancing livelihoods for over 100,000 farmers and creating 10,000 jobs by 2027.