Gov’t injects Sh5 billion In numbers into dairy, meat sectors

VICTORIA NJERI-PCO

The Government has set aside Sh5 billion to strengthen the livestock value chain—from dairy and meat to leather— in a bid to boost profitability, create jobs, and contribute to the country’s socio-economic growth.

Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion, Abubakar Hassan, urged livestock farmers to apply for the funds, which will support ongoing vaccination and livestock breeding programmes across the country.

“These funds will be provided to farmers through the state-owned Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), a development finance institution that offers accessible financial services and credit facilities to support agricultural development,” said Abubakar.

He explained that the funds, including the recent allocation of Sh5 billion from the government and development partners, will be disbursed through wholesale lending, where AFC will provide loans at low interest rates.

“The AFC uses various models, including a revolving fund and co-guaranteeing with Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) and SACCOs, to support smallholder farmers and priority sub-sectors,” Abubakar added.

Speaking during a visit to the Witu Livestock Cooperative Society Ltd, which operates a dairy facility with a capacity of 5,000 litres of milk per day, Abubakar pledged government support to attract investors to develop the cooperative’s 25,000 acres of idle land to expand value addition in the livestock sector.

On his part, State Department for Cooperatives Principal Secretary, Patrick Kilemi, underscored the importance of the cooperative movement in driving rural economic prosperity.

“We want to ensure Lamu farmers are part of the national 10-billion-litre dairy initiative. The Ministry will deliver a 5,000-litre solar-powered milk cooler to the Witu Livestock Cooperative Society and facilitate a benchmarking visit to Meru, home to one of Africa’s largest dairy processors,” he announced.

Abubakar also highlighted government efforts to de-risk investments and support farmers through the Kenya Development Corporation (KDC) and the the United States could open new export opportunities.

Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh said the two-week exercise will ensure farmers across the country benefit from digitized services that enhance agricultural productivity and open up global market opportunities.

Speaking during the official launch of the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) Farmer Registration at Nyangiti Grounds in Mathioya SubCounty, Murang’a County, the PS emphasized that the programme would strengthen transparency, fairness, and accountability in the delivery of government support.