Tigithi Umoja Dairy Cooperative Operational After Four Years Of Delay
From Laikipia.go.ke
In efforts to increase dairy cattle productivity in Laikipia, the County Government has taken Tigithi-Umoja dairy Cooperative members in Matanya through a capacity building programme.
This is set to assist the cooperative start operationalization of their milk cooler installed at their facility in 2017. The cooler has a capacity of 5,000 litres and the lack of enough milk supplied to the cooperative has deemed the operation.
It requires a minimum of 2,000 litres per day in order to meet the target by the end of the second day.
The department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has been mobilizing members of the cooperative in capacity building touching on better financial management, record keeping and livestock production on artificial insemination and animal feed. They were taught clean milk production and waste management.
They have been encouraged to find innovative ways to bring more dairy farmers on board to supply the deficit in the amount of milk they collect.
Before the intervention, almost 50% of dairy cattle reared by farmers supplying milk to the cooperative produced 3 litres per cow. The grazing system was free-range with group members earning Kshs. 42,700 per year.
The department has been keen on ensuring that they extend the capability of members in formulating a workable business plan that they will implement to make the cooperative profitable.
Better use of the cooler will help in improving milk production and ensure flexibility in milk collection resulting in an increase in the volume of milk collected by the cooperative. The strategy also involved introducing pure breeds and starting feed conservation (silage making) and homemade ration (dairy meal).
The initial hindrances that existed have been addressed by the County Government such as connecting the cooperative facility with power. There were instances of a dispute between the members, therefore, lacking cohesion to work together.
The cooperative members also benefited from peer learning from two leading cooperatives in the county which have utilized their coolers well. They visited Solio Dairy Cooperative and Shalos Dairy Cooperative and Shalos Dairy Cooperative in Nyahururu.
It gave a good learning experience to the members as they benefited from input from how the two cooperatives have been operating.
The tours were intended to show them that they need to have some individual input for the success of their cooperative.
ASDSP Policy and capacity Development officer Patrick Muriithi said.
He added that there was a need to educate the members that they don’t need to rely solely on the government to implement everything affecting their cooperative. They need to go out of their way to have meant that benefit them and the suppliers.
The impact has seen the cooperative engaging in hay production with the input of 800 bales per year to every farmer. The yield has improved from 7 litres per cow to 12 litres per cow.
Milk volume increased from 2135 litres to 7625 litres per cow in one year with income from milk improving from Kshs. 42, 700 to Kshs 266, 875 per cow. They have also started biogas production and utilization.
