September 3, 2018

Increasing milk production through artificial insemination in Kenya

Kenya is aiming to increase its milk production through artificial insemination (AI), thanks to the help of non-government organisation One Acre Fund.

OAF has partnered with the county government of Kakamega to provide more than 16,000 dairy farmers AI services at a subsidised rate, Standard Digital reports.

At the launch of the programme in Kochwa, Navakholo constituency, OAF Manager Evans Libeya said the programme aimed to support the county government's One Cow Initiative.

"Farmers were being exploited by private veterinary officers who have been charging them between Sh700 and Sh3,500 to serve their dairy cows," Libeya said, adding that the NGO would also give the farmers dairy meal and ultra-mix, as well as de-worm their livestock at subsided prices.

Kakamega Gov. Wycliffe Oparanya has distributed 600 pedigree dairy cows in the second phase of One Cow Initiative, the report said.

Dairy cows have been given for free to more than 1,200 households so far, it added.

Under One Cow Initiative, selected farmers are given dairy cows and they are to pass any heifers to others after calving.