By Ian Angaya, Kakamega
The County Government of Kakamega in partnership with the Netherlands government is set to commission a milk processing plant at Tumbeni area in Malava constituency.
This emerged in meeting between Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula while representing Governor Fernandes Barasa with the Netherlands Envoy to Kenya Ambassador Maarten Brouwer.
Savula called for support to farmers to enable them deploy modern technology to boost milk production through alternative sources of funding.
According to the county, once operational, the multimillion projects will have a capacity to process up to 50,000 litres of milk per day.
This will guarantee dairy farmers a ready market for their milk and at the same time enhance cooperative development in the county.
Amb. Brouwer acknowledged that dairy farming is important for nutrition and committed to support operationalization of the plant. He encouraged exchange programs between farmers to build their capacity.
“We need to focus on dairy production as a way of complimenting the income from the fallen sugarcane farming, which was as a result of collapsed sugar factories in the region,” said Savula
The county government has invested about Sh150 million to acquire land for the construction of the milk processing plant that is almost complete.
“We need to focus on dairy production as a way of complimenting the income from the fallen sugarcane farming, which was as a result of collapsed sugar factories in the region,” said Savula
The plant will also have an oxidation points to treat waste waters.
The County Government through the department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives has stepped up construction of Smart Dairy Farms across the County to act as milk collection centres for farmers to feed dairy plant with raw materials.
The farms are also learning centers for farmers and students. So far Bukura Smart Farm (Lurambi) Matungu Smart Farm (Matungu) Kabras Smart Farm (Lugari) and Khwisero Smart Farm in Khwisero Sub-County are all functional.
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