Dairy Systems Characterisation of the Greater Nairobi Milk Shed

From the Executive Summary
This research report was carried out to accurately diagnose the existing and future constraints of dairy production and practices of dairy farmers, and the opportunities facing them. These may occur at a number of levels: the dairy animals themselves, agro-ecology of the area, farm practices, household resources, level and type of services available, infrastructure, and other policy or macro-environment factors.

The broad goals of the survey were to i) describe the current structure of dairy production and practices of dairy farmers in central Kenya; ii) assess current and future constraints and opportunities facing them; and iii) identify those types of dairy producers that should be targeted by the Smallholder Dairy Project project, given the focus on assisting the most resource poor.

Important implications from the findings can be drawn in four key areas: i) intensification of smallholder systems; ii) constraints to dairy productivity; iii) access to services; and, iv) identification of target groups. The results point clearly to the rapid intensification of smallholder dairy production that is occurring in the central part of Kenya, apparently mainly as a result of shrinking land holdings.

Constraints to dairy productivity continue to centre around inadequate and seasonal feed resources. Solutions to these problems will have to keep in mind the limitations to opportunities for intensification outlined in this paper. For example, the use of planted grass fodders for stall-feeding may be limited in extensive areas where labour rather than land is the limiting constraint. Threats to productivity over the long term may be posed by the constraint to breeding. Artificial insemination services continue to be used by only a relatively small proportion of farmers and the long-term trends in herd genotype are unclear. Private veterinary services of indeterminate quality are now available to most farms across the area.