More than 600 dairy farmers in the Muhoroni constituency are set to benefit from the installation of two solar-powered milk cooling plants aimed at reducing milk spoilage and improving access to stable markets.
The project, implemented through a partnership between the State Department for Livestock Development and the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), seeks to strengthen dairy farming and boost farmers’ earnings in Kisumu county.
Each cooling facility has a capacity of 1,000 litres and has been installed at the Kisumu Dairy Development Centre in Nyangore location, Chemelil ward, and at the LBDA dairy unit in Tonde location, Muhoroni/Koru ward.
During the launch of the project, Children Services PS Carren Ageng’o, representing Livestock Development PS Jonathan Mueke, said the initiative would help transform dairy farming into a more profitable venture for local farmers.
She said the cooling centres would help preserve milk quality, minimise losses caused by spoilage and enable farmers to sell their produce collectively for better returns.
Ageng’o said the two facilities are expected to handle about 2,000 litres of milk every day, which could translate into annual farmer earnings of about Sh35.8 million.
She said many farmers lose income during periods of high milk production because of inadequate storage infrastructure and unreliable preservation systems.
The PS encouraged farmers to organise themselves into cooperatives, saying group marketing would give them stronger bargaining power and increase their chances of benefiting from government support programmes.
She said the government was focusing on agriculture and value addition as part of efforts to stimulate economic growth at the grassroots level.
According to Ageng’o, the dairy project is also expected to open up opportunities for women and young people through ventures such as milk processing and yoghurt production.
Trade PS Regina Ombam urged residents to embrace cooperative societies, noting that organised farmer groups are more competitive and attractive to investors and development partners.
The solar-powered facilities are fitted with complete cold-chain equipment, including cooling tanks, solar panels, batteries, and inverters to ensure milk preservation continues even in the event of power interruptions.
Muhoroni has long relied on sugar cane farming as its main economic activity, but the collapse of the sugar sector has pushed many households to seek alternative sources of income.
Officials said the dairy initiative could play a significant role in diversifying livelihoods and revitalising the area’s economy through increased milk production and processing.
