While farmers around Kenya struggle to grow enough maize to feed their families and their cattle, some women dairy farmers are boosting milk production and making money by growing and selling native grasses as cattle feed Maize Stover – the stalks, leaves and cobs left behind after a harvest – is popular cattle feed in … Continue reading
Just through feeding her cow on Brachiaria grass and proper maintenance, a smallholder farmer in western Kenya has improved her milk yield more than two-fold. Continue reading
In April 2017, Selvin Odhiambo received a healthy crossbred calf from her neighbour’s cow after a successful pregnancy from Fixed Time Artificial Insemination (FTAI). A United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded subsidized breeding program is helping smallholder farmers in western Kenya improve their dairy production. Continue reading
Priscilla Ouma is an inspiration and proof that when you give women farmers a few tools, the entire community benefits. Through her hard work, the wind of change is blowing across the village and soon farmers in Muyeye B will be milk rich. Continue reading
Below are the highlights of the official launch of the Feed the Future Kenya Accelerated Value Chain Development (AVCD) program, together with 2 other USAID investments in Turkana County at Moruase Irrigation Scheme. Continue reading
Through the 3-tier model, a network of trained community diseases reporters accessible at the village level has been created. Trained to be the first responders to animal health issues, they serve as an immediate resource for herders and are in position to respond to reports in multiple villages. Continue reading
Between January and March, most of Western Kenya experiences a climatic dry period, when grass and other plants stop growing, forcing farmers to buy fodder from outside their area to feed their cows or face huge reductions in milk production. This year, the area has suffered from a pro-longed drought, with no rains since mid-November, … Continue reading
Originally posted on Sustainable livestock systems:
Moses Muyang’ai (centre) shows his farm records (photo credit: ILRI/James Audho). The north eastern region of Kenya is home to pastoralists whose livelihoods mostly depend on the sale and consumption of livestock and their products. But the pastoral production systems in the region are characterized by low growth rates and off-takes…
The western region of Kenya is not a traditional dairy production area, although having significant resources that can support dairying. One of the challenges that hinder farmers’ entry into this profitable industry is the use of local breeds of cattle with low productivity. Additionally, in most cases cattle in smallholder settings are predominantly ‘multi-functional’ used for … Continue reading
Originally posted on ILRI Clippings:
The western region of Kenya is not a traditional dairy production area, albeit having substantial resources that can support dairying. The region has, in the past, been left out of most dairy development initiatives in the country and its potential to contribute to the dairy sector, which accounts for 8% of Kenya’s GDP,…
AVCD Kenya 