Sustainability dairy intensification in Mau

'Young people can get into farming, make good income and prosper, everything you see here today started with one cow, some 14 years ago.' Robert Koech says smiling.

Today, we find Robert tending to two Friesian cows. 'Each of them produces 10 litres of milk a day. Daily, I deliver 15 litres to the cooperative at a rate of 42 Kenya shillings per kilogram,'  he explains.

Twenty-nine-year-old Robert Koech from Kuresoi North, Nakuru County, is one of the 1,800 member farmers of the Chemare Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society. His expansive farm is a sight to behold. Spread across four acres, it has different varieties of fodder and pasture.

The Mau forest, a critical ecological zone, faces pressures from agricultural expansion, making it essential to explore sustainable practices that can balance productivity with environmental conservation.

With funding from IDH, SNV and partners under the Initiative for Sustainable Landscapes (ISLA) project have sought to restore and conserve 60,000 hectares of the Mau Forest by the year 2030 through the establishment of financially viable public-private partnership governance models for sustainable land and water management in the vulnerable landscapes South-West of the Mau Forest. Mindful of the need to conserve The Forest Complex which is the largest of the Kenya's five watersheds, SNV through the ISLA project has initiated alternative approaches to support dairy farmers.

SNV has piloted an alternative livestock grazing system for the communities living around the forest, to increase the productivity of livestock while at the same time reducing livestock grazing pressure in the forest. In this alternative system, livestock are reared in a semi zero-grazing system.

One of the most significant challenges faced by livestock farmers in the Mau region which the project sought to address is the availability and quality of feed. The forest ecosystem, while providing some grazing opportunities, often lacks sufficient high-quality fodder to meet the nutritional needs of dairy cows. The reliance on natural pastures has led to nutritional deficiencies, particularly during dry seasons when forage availability is limited. Farmers struggle to access adequate feed, which is essential for maintaining milk production and overall animal health. The ISLA project has worked to introduce alternative feed production systems, utilising demonstration sites to penetrate the grassroots. Chemare Farmers Cooperative’s learning site supported by the project has a variety fodder and pasture including sorghum, sweet potato vines, maize for silage, super napier grass variety, oats grass and sesbania sesban.

'Before the project, most farmers would take their animals inside the forest. This was not only illegal but also highly unproductive, as the animals had to walk long distances in search of adequate grazing areas. After receiving training in environmental conservation, forest preservation, and fodder production, farmers like Robert have been able to establish their own fodder production units and reduced their livestock herds to focus on more productive breeds.' explains Benard Kipkorir Bett, Extension Officer at Chemare Dairy Cooperative.

The benefits of cooperative membership extend beyond just milk delivery and trainings, Robert explains.

'We have a check-off system within the cooperative, allowing me to access inputs like feeds and services like Artificial Insemination on credit, with repayment made through milk deliveries. This system has supported my growth, ensuring that even when I lack adequate financial resources, I can still access what I need.'

The growth of farmers has gone in tandem with the expansion of the cooperative. Today, Chemare Cooperative is doing milk value addition. After thorough market analysis, the decision was made to start with Mursik—a traditional fermented milk product popular with the Kalenjin Community in Kenya. Mursik, a traditional fermented milk product made from pasteurized milk and activated charcoal (wosek) derived from the African senna tree. The project supported Chemare cooperative by providing essential ingredients and establishing market linkages to attain market penetration and the success of the product.

'Within the Chemare Strategic Plan, we had the vision of adding value to our milk. As a cooperative, we had noted that our farmers were not financially benefitting from their efforts as the prices often fluctuated whenever we sold to processors. Today, our farmers are earning more than before because of the increased financial income. Value added milk goes for 130 Kenya Shillings per kilogram compared to normal milk which goes for 42 Kenya Shillings per kilogram.' Fancy Bii, Extension Officer and Value Addition Specialist, Chemare Cooperative.

Chemare Cooperative recently got an award from the Nakuru County Government for being the best farmer cooperative in value addition and has a license from The Kenya Dairy Board, allowing them to officially sell the value-added products.

Dairy intensification in the Mau Forest region has shown it has the potential to boost productivity, improve the livelihoods of local farmers, and minimize environmental impacts by reducing farmer dependence on the Mau Forest which has been under threat. Critically, the Mau Forest, a key ecological zone, faces pressures from agricultural expansion, making it essential to explore sustainable practices that can balance productivity with environmental conservation. Sustainable management practices are key to ensuring that dairy intensification does not come at the expense of the forest ecosystem. Strengthening cooperatives and targeted interventions can help address these challenges, promoting a more sustainable dairy sector in the Mau Forest.