Kenya’s dairy industry is getting a digital upgrade, from farm to county governments, with technology at the centre of recent national conversations. Illustration image of a farmer looking at her mobile money wallet. Two major events this month, the Dairy Tech Africa Expo in Nairobi and the Devolution Conference in Homa Bay, have showcased how mobile apps, artificial intelligence and smart sensors are transforming both farming and governance. At the Dairy Tech Africa Expo, IT experts agreed that digital tools are no longer optional. Farmers using mobile money platforms such as M-Pesa can now receive payments instantly, track sales, and obtain microloans. Meanwhile, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors monitor milk quality, cow health, and feeding schedules in real time—ensuring what one speaker called “everyday freshness.”
“These tools are giving farmers real control over the value chain. With AI and predictive analytics, we can forecast milk yields, prevent losses, and connect farmers directly to markets. It’s precision agriculture with a purpose,” said the IT head at Kenya Dairy Limited. At the Devolution Conference, the digital dynamic went beyond farming. County governments were urged to invest in smart infrastructure to improve service delivery. In the last ten years, counties have received close to KSh 4 trillion in national funding. However, the data shows that the regions that are utilising digital tools are seeing the greatest impact. One outstanding example is Nyandarua County, which has built a digital repository for health and research data in collaboration with KEMRI. The “Utafitiwafya” platform helps local teams to summarise results in infographics and dashboards, enabling evidence-based decision-making. “Data is the new foundation of governance.
We can’t afford to manage districts based on guesswork when almost every household has a mobile phone,” said one delegate. Illustration of a dairy farmer in Kenya using the M-Pesa app. But it’s not just about apps and dashboards. Speakers also emphasised sustainability. Kenya’s growing population and industrial activities are polluting critical water sources— and pose a direct threat to dairy farms that rely on clean water. Any modern agricultural strategy, they said, must include environmental stewardship. Devolution and digitisation must go hand in hand. According to Kenya Dairy Limited’s brand manager, “Devolution only works if technology and resources reach the grassroots. When county governments collaborate with the private sector, smallholders get better access to information, credit, and markets.”
Ultimately, Kenya’s dairy success won’t just be measured in litres—it will be measured in lives improved. Technology empowers farmers. Clean water protects communities. And data-driven governance ensures that resources reach those who need them most. As Kenya strides into the future, the message from both conferences was clear: to build a thriving dairy sector, the country must invest not just in cows and cooling tanks, but also in code, connectivity, and community.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
