Vihiga county government has established a Sh.23million smart dairy farm at Kabras polytechnic in Lugari Sub County.
Area deputy governor, who doubles as County Agriculture and Livestock Executive Prof. Philip Kutima, commissioned the model farm on Friday.
Prof. Kutima said the farm stocked with 25 pedigree dairy cows, would serve as a learning centre for livestock production students at the polytechnic and the local farmers.
“The aim of this project is to equip students and farmers with knowledge in dairy farming to increase milk production in the region,” he said.
The project that sits on a 10 acre piece of land at Vuyika will also serve as a milk collection centre for farmers before delivery to Malava dairy plant, once the factory is operational.
Meanwhile, the county administration has already put up similar farms at Bukura agricultural college in Lurambi Sub County, Matungu polytechnic, Khwisero polytechnic and eventually all the 12 Sub Counties will be covered.
The deputy governor advised residents to embrace modern dairy farming practices by planting fodder and discard the traditional grazing for optimal milk production.
Dairy farming is one of the priority value chains in the county and so far over 700 selected poor households have received free dairy cows under the one-cow initiative in the past six years.
The other value chains are maize and poultry farming where farmers are offered inputs subsidy and free day old chicks respectively.
By Sammy Mwibanda
