Nakuru County Government is taking significant strides to bolster the dairy and beef industry by providing subsidized Artificial Insemination (AI) services to farmers. This initiative, aimed at enhancing productivity and increasing farmer incomes, is a testament to the county’s commitment to agricultural development.
On Thursday 12 cooperatives in Nakuru County received artificial insemination kits, to enable them to offer subsidized AI services to farmers. This means farmers can acquire quality semen at a reduced rate of Sh800, making it more affordable and accessible.
The County Executive for Agriculture Leonard Bor said they are now focused on capacity-building by training dairy cooperative officials because it’s crucial to ensure the successful implementation of the AI program.
“By equipping farmers and cooperative officials with the necessary knowledge and skills, the county aims to maximize the benefits of AI,’’ he said.
He said the County Government is also encouraging young people to embrace agriculture and join cooperatives.
By highlighting the potential for meaningful employment and income generation in the sector, they aim to attract the next generation of farmers. Currently, he observed that the majority of the dairy farmers are sixty years and above.
Additionally, Bor said AI offers several advantages to the dairy farmers such as genetic improvement. The usage of semen from superior bulls, improves the genetic quality of their herds besides reducing the chances of in-breeding. This leads to increased milk production, better quality milk, and faster growth rates of calves.
Apart from that, he noted that farmers can plan their breeding programs more effectively, ensuring optimal calving and maximizing milk production. Also, the AI programs enable farmers to access high-quality genetics from renowned breeding programs from countries such as Holland, regardless of their geographical location.
Before AI was introduced in the country, a number of dairy farmers were forced to purchase quality animals from large scale farmers at a cost of Sh250, 000 and above.
Through these initiatives, Nakuru County is poised to become a leading dairy and beef production hub. By empowering farmers with modern technologies and supporting their efforts, the County Government is laying the foundation for a thriving agricultural sector. However, attracting the youth to the sector still remains a huge challenge mainly because of the required workload, despite the good returns. Currently, a liter of raw milk sells at Sh50-57 at the farm gate.
By Veronica Bosibori