- Registration of dairy farmers in preparation for milk mopping
- Identification of other groups to be mentored by OSIEPE
- Setting of milk production targets and current targets
- Guided tour of the BMCC facility
- Consultation of management structure and approach to share drive and local ownership
- Proposed milk collection and marketing strategy
- Introduction to OSIEPE BMCC hub approach and bundled benefits to farmers
- Role of key stakeholders (County Government, Agrodealers, Financial Institutions, Farmer Groups, Local Administration, the youth among others)
- Identification of critical capacity building needs for various groups to ensure expansion of both fodder and dairy value chains
- Action planning towards anticipated commissioning (August 2018) and sustainable milk delivery and marketing
The occasion was attended by 211 participants drawn from the 12 clusters of the ward. The clusters will form the local milk collection centres. In attendance were local administrators, county government representatives, various agrodealers, representative of Muhoroni Koru MCA, professionals from the sub-County and Cooperative Bank Kisumu branch manager (Mr Oyucho and his team). As part of the hub business, OSIEPE’s newly opened Chemelil Agro-Select Stores will support the system by availing comprehensive services to farmers under a loyalty program. The hub will also benefit from on-going fodder commercialization initiative of the group.
The BMCC is one of OSIEPE CBO’s business outfits and a demonstration of their collective action for transformation – a model now ready for replication County-wide. OSIEPE continues to appreciate the partnership with USAID funded ILRI implemented AVCD project that provided technical and financial support to the facility. We continue to scale the heights of local stewardship for socio-economic empowerment. Structures have been laid for milk marketing and efficient farmer payment regime.
The youth led-by their convener Jenice Omolo and Bruno Del explained their role, supported the facilitation and also demonstrated a simple technology for dairy cattle feeding to the farmers. The youth are also leading digitization of the hub operations. Dr Peter Oyoo Oruko took the farmers through basic dairy production tenets and explained the proposed approach to veterinary support and AI service provision. The function was facilitated by Dr Washington Ochola, the patron of OSIEPE CBO and co-chaired by Mr Bernard Del (coordinator) and Mr Hezekiah Omenda (chairman).