The success of the East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) project in increasing milk volumes and quality, and improving market access is the subject of an article in the Business Daily.

Since 2008, the project has seen dairy farmers improve their incomes and livelihoods, especially in the Central and Rift valley provinces of Kenya, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The article provides commentaries from farmers who have benefited from the project, through training on aspects of dairy management, the formation of cooperatives and the availability of loans to establish chilling plants that link them to available markets. Many farmers are also venturing into value-adding initiatives such as making yoghurt and simple cheese to earn additional income.

The EADD project involves 5 partner organizations: the World Agroforestry Centre, Heifer International, Technoserve, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the African Breeders Service (ABS) as well as the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Development.

The World Agroforestry Centre has helped to promote the importance of leguminous fodder shrubs such as lucerne, callliandra, desmodium and sweet potato vines that provide protein for cattle and a less costly alternative to purchased protein concentrates.

Read the full story: Dairy farmers embrace technology to boost output