The dairy sector in Kenya is one of the most advanced in East and Central Africa only coming second to South Africa. However, unlike South Africa, the local industry is controlled mainly by smallholder farmers who are slow in adapting to new technologies to boost production.
While processed milk is slowly being adapted by general population, the consumption of raw and unprocessed milk has remained the norm in Kenya even as the regulator, the Kenya Dairy Board launches campaign to cramp down on such sales. Ugandan processed milk has also made inroads into Kenyan shelves.
Based on this, Kenya is bracing itself once again to host one of the biggest dairy meetings in the continent later in August. The conference which is being organised by the Eastern and Southern Africa Dairy association –ESADA will be held in Nairobi with the aim of reviewing new technologies for the sub-sector while triggering production among small and large players in the industry.
It will bring together more than 600 delegates from over 40 countries to discuss and highlight strategies and best practices, showcase new technologies. Under the theme; African Dairy, the grand transformation, the event underpins that the technological advancement and improvement in practices in the dairy sector is imperative in unlocking the potential of the dairy industry in the continent.
It will be held from august 22-24that the Kenyatta International Conference and exhibition Centre and fits into the government’s Big Four agenda that seeks to increase agriculture production.
Cabinet Secretary of Agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri sees this event as timely. “The technologies and solutions that will be showcased at the event will directly impact on manufacturing as well as food security. The event is part of the government’s efforts to collaborate and partner with the private sector to trigger and improve the dairy sub-sector.”
“We realise that dairy industry in Africa plays a very important role in the lives of its inhabitants. From the small-scale farmers to the large milk processors, there are millions of businesses and households who derive their livelihood from it,” he said.
“With small holders accounting for over 80% of milk production in the country the dairy sector is one of the critical sectors in the region with high potential of improving food security and more important the welfare of its people,” he said and urged small-holder and large scale farmers to turn up in big numbers to attend and benefit from the event and the new technologies that will be showcased at the event.
ESADA has over the past twelve years put together successful dairy events that seek to promote dairy farming, production and consumption in Africa. So far, similar events have been held in Uganda, Zambia, South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
“The aim is to educate, connect, empower and enlighten stakeholders in the dairy industry across the value chain,” says Peter Ngaruiya, ESADA Executive Director.
This conference and exhibition seeks to afford African dairy processors, service providers and industry suppliers a unique opportunity to showcase their products for benchmarking and to network and share knowledge and experiences.
It will also highlight opportunities for dairy sector investment in Africa with a focus on Kenya and the Eastern African sub region which has huge potential as well as provide a platform for African and the global dairy community to discuss and recommend solutions to policy, regulatory and industry bottlenecks that impede trade in dairy products.
“We have made this particular event bigger and more productive in order to make necessary linkages that will move the sector to the next level,” says Ngaruiya.
