Kenya Dairy Board is implementing a fresh quality, based milk payment system, which will revolutionize the Kenyan dairy sector from being predominantly volume, driven to earning through value, based production.
According to the government, the transition will encourage farmers to bring higher quality raw milk as their rewards will now be dependent on the fat and protein content as well as a low bacterial count, thus making payments more accurate.
The decision is expected to raise the standards of milk throughout the value chain, and at the same time, farmers will be able to get more money for their superior produce. Kenya Dairy Board Regulatory Affairs Director Winnie Kemboi, during a sensitization campaign in Meru County, said that the announcement of the new policy will enable Kenya to be more competitive in the regional and global dairy markets.
She said that quality improvement of the milk products would not only increase dairy exports but also result in longer shelf life and higher incomes for farmers. Milk payments under the new arrangement will be divided into bonuses, regular rates, and penalties, all of which will be based on the quality test results.
Those who produce milk that is of superior quality will be rewarded with bonuses, while milk deliveries of poor quality will be subjected to penalties. The Board has also initiated a comprehensive farmer training program that will cover aspects like milk hygiene, proper animal feeding, vaccination, and the use of appropriate veterinary drugs.