The relief and development agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, Caritas Nairobi has launched a Ksh150 million milk processing plant at Limuru in Kiambu County, a move that is expected to benefit over 5,000 smallholder dairy farmers in the region.
According to the Church’s Dairy Unit, this is to empower local communities engage in dairy production to help address food security and malnutrition.
“As a church community, we feel the obligation to not only feed the society spiritually but also economically,” said Philip Anyolo, the Nairobi Archbishop during the official launch of the plant at the Archdiocesan Farm in Limuru yesterday.
He added that the church is committed to strengthening agriculture and livestock sector through its programs.
“The launch of this facility is a show of commitment to support livelihoods which is a responsibility of all of us in the society,” said the Archbishop.
“We want to be part of the solution to hunger and malnutrition that millions world over are suffering from and become a beacon of hope to many,” he added.
High cost of feeds
He further urged the government to implement initiatives that we see the cost of feeds which is still a problem in the dairy industry in Kenya come down.
Currently Kenya imports 70 per cent of the raw materials used to formulate animal feeds making commercial feeds’ prices continue to increase despite the latest government interventions such as the reduction in taxation on the imports.
The Caritas Nairobi Dairy Unit processing plant has a capacity of processing up to 20,000 litres of milk per day according to Sister Mary Mbachi, Director of Caritas Nairobi on revealing that it cost up to Ksh150 million to set up.
At the moment, we collect milk from the farmers in the region, pasteurize it, chill it before selling it to various consumers outlets,” said Sister Mbachi adding that they will soon start considering getting into value addition by making yoghurt and mala (fermented milk).
As part of climate-smart farming approach, farmers are access commercial feeds at subsidized price get training on silage making, water harvesting, and biogas making to improve their resilience against the devastating climate change effects.
The plant which sits on a three-acre piece of land has since seen 50 people employed while other 60 benefit through milk transport and other office work.
Financial support
David Mukaru, Caritas Microfinance Bank CEO, announced that the Catholic Church-owned financial institution has set aside over Ksh500 million to support the smallholder dairy farmers in Kiambu County through credit facility programmes.
“As a key partner and stakeholder in this journey, we believe that we have a role to play in helping the farmers embrace formal marketing structures for their milk and better their incomes,” said Makaru.
Other main partners who founded the Caritas Nairobi Dairy Unit include Caritas Italiana, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), CELIM and Missio Invest.
The project was initiated way back in 2010 by, now the retired Archbishop, John Cardinal Njue as the Mataara Women Economic Empowerment Project (MWEEP) to alleviate poverty among women in the area.
