Milk production in Taita Taveta is on a steady rise according to the county’s department of livestock production following several years of subsidized artificial insemination (AI) services, better control of livestock diseases and pests, and adoption of best animal feeds and management practices.
Speaking at Kisimani, Eldoro in Taveta Sub-county during an event to hand over AI kits to members of Mboghoni Dairy Cooperative, Erickson Kyongo, the County Executive Committee Member in charge of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Irrigation said the county is on its way to hit 30 million litres of milk production per year due to the continued support for cheap and quality AI services and better livestock and animal feed management.
“After continuous efforts to avail cheap and high quality AI services and support for best practices on animal feed management and control of diseases and pests; the county is now on the way to hitting 30 million litres of milk production in a year,” said Kyongo.
The executive highlighted that by the end of 2023 half-year mark, farmers from the county are projected to have produced at least 20 million litres of milk before the onset of the dry season which typically slows down production.
The journey leading to this milestone started in 2018 when the then county leadership signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Center, effectively bringing down the price of AI services from between Sh1, 500 and Sh2, 000 to Sh200 per animal.
Since 2018, more than 10,000 dairy cattle have been inseminated with a further 400 targeted in Taveta Sub-county alone, and more to be reached in Voi, Mwatatee, and Taita Sub-counties as reported by Herbert Nyambu, Director of Livestock Production.
Similar efforts are being undertaken by the veterinary services department through setting aside funds to track, manage, and control livestock diseases, and is keen on the implementation of the Taita Taveta movement and Protection of livestock produce bill 2020 aimed at taming cross-border livestock migration.
“We have allocated adequate funds to track, manage, and control livestock diseases and are keeping an eye on the implementation of the Taita Taveta movement and protection of livestock produce bill 2020 to control livestock migration from outside the county,” said Dr. Jeremiah Ngugi, Director, veterinary services department.
By Arnold Linga Masila
