Nandi County Governor, Stephene Sang (second left) during the laucndh of Nandi Cooporative Creameries, a milk processing plant that will help farmers in the region find market for their produce. Photo courtesy.

Nandi county government has today launched construction of Nandi Cooporative Creameries, a first ever milk processing plant in the county that will help dairy farmers in the region access market for their produce.

It is estimated that the farmer owned milk processing factory is worth 300 million. This will mark the end of various challenges that Nandi dairy farmers face including poor milk pricing due to monopoly of other far away processors which source milk from the area.

Farmers have also been lacking cooling facilities which could handle the high quality milk produced in the region.

The county government is already installing milk coolers in all the 30 wards to bulk the milk.

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In addition, the government is also preparing the ground before the start of the processing plant in terms of building the capacities of farmers through training, improvement of breeds through artificial insemination and enhancement of animal feeds preservation mechanisms.

The first phase of the plant is expected to be completed later in the year, will consist of cold storage space with loading docks, processing section, utility and west handling facilities, administrative offices and dispatch platform.

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The County Coordinating Unit will identify specific wards and farmers’ groups which will be empowered to sustainably take control of their livelihood strategies and with minimal support implement the project.

Apart from investing in the plant itself, farmers will be trained on best practices and offer extension services to ensure that quality of milk produced and processed is of the top most quality.

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Already, the construction has created informal employment to over 70 locals and the number is expected to rise as contraction advances.