The Principal Secretary for Livestock Development, Jonathan Mueke, has presided over the handing over of solar-powered bulk milk coolers at the Muhoroni Stadium. The move is part of a nationwide rollout aimed at curbing post-harvest losses and increasing earnings for smallholder dairy farmers .

The equipment, provided as part of the government’s subsidy program under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), will serve dairy cooperative societies in the region, enabling them to preserve milk longer without relying on expensive grid electricity .

Addressing farmers and cooperatives leaders at the event, PS Mueke noted that such technologies are a game-changer for the dairy value chain. He highlighted that before the intervention, farmers in parts of Nyanza frequently suffered significant losses due to spoilage, especially given the region’s warm climate and inconsistent power supply.

“This initiative is designed to reduce post-harvest losses, preserve milk quality, and enable farmers to earn more from their milk,” Mueke said. He added that the coolers, which maintain temperatures as low as 4 degrees Celsius, are instrumental in helping farmers access formal markets that require consistent quality standards .

Addressing Historical Challenges in Kisumu

Muhoroni and the broader Kisumu County have historically depended on milk supplies from the Rift Valley due to low local production and high post-harvest losses. While the county produces about 26 million litres of milk annually, its annual demand stands at approximately 70 million litres, leaving a massive deficit .

The introduction of solar coolers is expected to help stabilize local supply by allowing farmers to store milk during peak production and sell during scarcity.

“By investing in modern infrastructure such as milk coolers, we are strengthening livestock value chains, supporting value addition, and creating meaningful employment opportunities for women and youth,” PS Mueke said, echoing sentiments from similar launches across the country .

A National Push for Dairy Modernization

This exercise in Muhoroni is part of a broader national strategy. The State Department for Livestock Development has distributed over 230 milk coolers nationwide so far, targeting counties such as Tana River, Lamu, Kericho, and Bomet. According to ministry data, this infrastructure has helped reduce milk spoilage rates from approximately 10 percent to about 5 percent .

During the event, PS Mueke urged local farmers to organize themselves into strong cooperatives to maximize the benefit of the equipment. He assured them that the government remains committed to supporting the sector through subsidized inputs, including artificial insemination services and the provision of quality animal feeds .

For the farmers of Muhoroni, the new coolers signal a shift from subsistence to commercial viability. With the capacity to store thousands of litres of milk that would previously have gone sour before reaching the market, the region is poised to take a significant step toward bridging the local supply gap and reducing reliance on milk imports from neighboring counties.