Kenya's Informal Milk Markets and Raw Milk Traders: A summary of the issues

Over 86% of all milk sold in Kenya is sold as 'raw', or unpasteurised, milk. This is in response to clear consumer demand, based on price, taste and availability. The processors who supply to the remaining 14% of the market are actually operating at well below 50% of their installed capacities, because there is limited demand for their products. This demand is only likely to change gradually, as incomes rise.

However powerful private interests are very active in lobbying to enforce legislation that discourages or even outlaws sales of raw milk in urban areas. The policies and legislation covering this area are ambiguous and often contradictory. The current Dairy Industry Act dates back to 1958, when the main purpose was to protect the interests and markets for the large-scale settler dairy farmers. The Kenya Dairy Board (KDB), the regulatory body for the industry, has mainly acted as 'policeman', harassing small traders, and has not really engaged in improving the system. This line is based on the assumed health risks of unpasteurised milk, and claims that small traders or 'hawkers' adulterate milk or use chemical preservatives.

There was no evidence to back up these claims, and with the informal sector so dominant and with so many livelihoods and jobs dependent on it, these issues warranted close examination. So Smallholder Dairy Project (SDP) in partnership with other institutions conducted a comprehensive analysis of the public health risks associated with sales of raw milk. The findings were very significant:

• The quality of milk did not differ between licensed and unlicensed traders;
  
• Kenyan consumers invariably boil purchased raw milk before consumption, destroying all potential disease-causing bacteria;
  
• There was no evidence that small-scale traders use preservatives in milk;
  
• Health risks from diseases such as brucellosis and tuberculosis are very small, and anyway are eliminated due to the boiling of milk.

In order to further address any risks, and to encourage informal traders to become more formal and reach appropriate standards, SDP has developed appropriate training courses for traders, and together with the traders, developed appropriate containers to replace the plastic cans often used. This work has been carried out in close collaboration with the Kenya Dairy Board. The quality of milk was shown to improve significantly after training, and through using the appropriate containers.

SDP will not be involved in providing training, beyond the development of the course and demonstrating the impacts. Other partners are now involved in doing this. The main emphasis for SDP now is to show the regulatory bodies, policy makers and wider stakeholders the benefits of engaging in the informal sector through training and licensing, to develop the players and encourage development of their enterprises towards more formal practices. In this way, the whole sub-sector can develop, the livelihoods of those involved will improve, and consumers can still be protected.

However, the lobbying by private interests continues, and has recently been very aggressive, through TV and radio campaigns. In response, SDP has been working with pro-poor NGO partners who have been using SDP's evidence to challenge the claims made, and call for a more informed debate, which considers the interests of all stakeholders.