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Recent developments in the dairy industry
seem to favour the sector. This is particularly
true of the pricing mechanisms, where costs are
now determined by market forces, making
dairying an even more attractive commercial
enterprise,
Ajoint evaluation team in 1990 (Mukolwe et
al, 1990) concluded that the programme had a
positive impact on land usage as it released
grazing land for other uses. Increased milk
production meant more milk going to market to
provide extra income. The programme is in its
fifth phase and 13th year of operation. It has
expanded from the original six districts to the
present 25 covering almost areas in Kenya with
high milk production pctential. However, work
in the original six districts has not been
completely phased out, a,- earlier envisaged,
Going by the recommendations of the phase IV
evaluation team, there should be another phase
after phase V to ensure transfer of all project
activities to the Ministry of Livestock
Development. The evaluation team recommended
that Dutch technical and financial
assistance should continue,
The key factors contributing to the success of
the project include farmers' interest and
financial and technical assistance. This enabled
the intensive contacts with the farmers. Other
factors crucial to the programme's success were
farmers' readiness to participate, the economic
viability of dairying in relation to alternative
enterprises, positive Government policies and
supportive priorities and the general
liberalisation of the economy. Apart from the
recent deterioration in the economy, the socineconomic
environment has been favourable to
the project.
Future dairy development
programmes in Kenya
The dairy industry continues to be of high
priority in the country's development policies
and programmes and it will probably continue to
receive the same attention in the future.
However, despite all the incentives the sector
received, there are signs that the industry may
be unable to continue satisfying demand from
the growing population unless it becomes more
competitive and efficient and concerted efforts
are directed to the industry,
To continue being self-sufficient in dairy
products, Kenya will have to improve the dairy
industry's capacity to produce and market dairy
products without exacerbating land pressure.
Success in this will require policies that
encourage efficiency in the industry with
minimal Government support.
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Key areas that demand attention are,
therefore, feed and water resources; yield per
unit area and per animal; development of rural
infrastructure, especially the road network;
availability of credit to the smallholder sector;
sustainable land use; and the update of the Dairy
Industry Act.
Milk production in Kenya is based on forage,
with minimal use concentrates. Forage Plone
can, at best, support production of only 5 to 10
litres of milk per cow per day. Although it is
acknowledged that feed is the .-: 'st limitiyi,
actnlkpduti the ocnett se
factor in milk production, the use ofconcentrates
will continue to be minimal because of
competition with people for grain. The options
left are to increase forage productivity per unit
area, to use fodder trees and those grains not
used for human consumption, to increase forage
utilisation efficiency of the animals and to
develop more nutritious forages. Water for
livestock has hitherto received very little
attention; additional emphasis is needed on
programmes dealing with water resource
development. Researchers should design
appropriate feeding systems based on the
available resources.
The development of the rural infrastructure
is not confined to the dairy sector alone.
However, "dairy roads" have been suggested. The
main concept of"dairy roads" is to make the rural
roads passable during the rainy weather when it
coincides with peak milk production. The linkage
of rural infrastructure to a country's eccnomic
development cannot be overstated.
The Kenyan Government has made efforts to
liberalise the dairy industry. A momentous step
has already been taken in the decontrolling of
dairy prices. However, this initiative should be
followed by the review of the Dairy Industry Act
and revision of other related acts to ensure that
they conform to the new policy.
Livestock credit is minimal and, where
available, it is poorly designed and inappropriate
for the smallholder sector. Availability of proper
finance would be a key factor in the success of an
intensive production system.
Future dairy development programme will
have to address these concerns to succeed. Some
are already being re-addressed by existing
programmes. However, no single project can
address all the problem areas at once, but a
coordinated effort should be mapped out.
Perhaps future programmes should be multidisciplinary,
integrated and district-specific.
This would have the advantage of fostering the
perception of each district as a subproject.