Muhoroni 27th October 2018: A team from Rwanda visited OSIEPE establishments in Muhoroni as part of the new cross-country learning initiative. Organized by Heifer International, the visit is the first of a series in which leaders and farmers from Rwanda will be mentored on a number of issues relating to farmer organizational development, youth and women empowerment, value chain development and general agribusiness management. The team was taken through OSIEPE organizational management, history and current pillars. The full day event included discussions on lessons from OSIEPE growth, visits to expose the team to the practical activities OSIEPE has initiated in AgroVet business at Chemelil, fodder commercialization, dairy development at farm level, bulk milk cooling plant and its hub approach to service delivery, the peer farmer trainer practice, youth and women activities among others (see details of the trip in photos below).
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Chemelil, 18th October 2018: In a new development, OSIEPE model has received international recognition. The model that has seen successful farmer empowerment and expansion of viable value chains with strategic partnership is getting copied across Africa. Some farmer associations are borrowing the model on their own while others are poised to benefit through a structured farmer exchange program organized by Heifer International.
A joint planning meeting was held with OSIEPE leadership and an immediate visit by farmer cooperative leaders from Rwanda and Heifer International is organized for Wednesday 25th October to kick start the process. This will be under Heifer International new Peer farmer Training program. OSEIPE welcomes other cooperatives, investors and organized groups to join them in mutual learning for socio-economic empowerment under their brand - "collective action for transformation". With OSIEPE a home-grown transformation hub is evolving as locals take charge of their destiny through transformative leadership, strong organizational systems, business orientation, strategic planning and capacity development. . Stay tuned for information on this and how you can partner with us for mutual learning for transformation. Muhoroni, October 18th 2018: The eagerly awaited bulk milk cooling center constructed through the joint partnership of OSIEPE Practical Action ®, USAID’s ILRI implemented AVCD Project and the County Government of Kisumu is ready for operations. The facility with a capacity of 10,000 daily milk cooling is a breakthrough as a first of its kind in Kisumu County. It has seen careful planning, local farmer participation, organizational strategy by OSIEPE and partnership and sustainability focus create, a hitherto, unimaginable success in such an initiative. It is poised to create opportunities for household income expansion among dairy farmers in Kisumu County, youth and women agri-entrepreneurs and local dairy value chain actors benefit variously. OSIEPE, the principle owner of the business has provided opportunity for farmers in Muhoroni to own share in the facility and take part in the running of the plant It is due to open its doors to milk deliveries as from 1st November 2018. Elaborate plans have been made for farmer registration, capacity building for clean milk production, hiring of qualified staff (hub manager, dairy technologist, plant operator, accountant, dairy farmer assistant among others). A cluster hub bundled services approach has been adopted with 27 blocks created for efficient milk collection and delivery of other bundled services like access to AI, access to farm input, training on dairy and other value chains. A new project targeting expansion of milk marketing and fodder commercialization has also be granted funds from the Kenya Crops and Dairy Market Systems Development Project with specific aim of promoting markets and mechanization of the two value chains (fodder and dairy). The project will soon be launch. The official commissioning of the plant is slated for later in the year. Plans are in place for efficient milk collection by youth entrepreneurs, cooling and distribution of pastoralized milk to retail and other outlets in the County.
The plant has been fitted with chilling tanks, laboratory and milk inspection equipment, pasteurizer ready installations, kitchen, offices, generator, 3-phase electricity and permanent water supply. A mini packaging facility will be immediately installed to provide milk for direct purchase by stakeholders to be engaged in the Kisumu ECD milk supply scheme. The county government has honored its committed to construct access road, electricity and water supply to the plant. The facility will also package and supply milk to dedicated customers like hotels, schools, hospitals and supermarkets. Milk dispensers will be installed at Awasi, Ahero, Katito, Rabour and Kisumu to enhance customer access to quality hygienic milk. We have put in place mechanisms to ensure smart and prompt payment to farmers from deliveries. A loyalty program has been mooted to incentivize farmers to supply milk to the facility and benefit from an array of services that they cannot receive from other private processors and middle men. With this facility Kisumu County will slowly rid itself of total reliance on milk from neighboring counties. The traders from these counties will have opportunity to supply milk to OSIEPE for hygienic cooling, pasteurization and distribution. We hope to say goodbye to raw and adulterated milk. Look out for the next brand in the markets – OSIEPE Kisumu Fresh Final land scaping work is underway. The 2-acre compound in Muhoroni Town will also host a modern dairy demonstration unit, hub offices, farmers boardroom, youth and women-run tree and fodder nursery, a mini-hay barn, OSIPE Agrovet outlet, demonstration plots and farmer training facilities. Plans are also at advanced stage to install clean energy and renewable sources to complement the erratic electricity supply and the stand-by diesel generator (solar and biogas). At a status meeting to review final construction stages of the facility, Dr Romano Kiome, Coordinator of AVCD expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done and leadership by OSIEPE. “This is an example worth emulating especially coming from a region of Kenya where dairy was until recently not considered viable”. We thank all partners and well wishers who have stood with us in this journey that many doubted would ever come to fruition. OSIEPE has grand plans for even more innovative economic empowerment and locally driven investment for its members and the people of Muhoroni sub-County. Muhoroni 13th October 2018: The 2018 Kisumu County World Food Day celebrations will be held at Mr and Mrs Rao Ogik’s home near Ruke Primary School, Muhoroni sub-County. The event has been organized by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Kisumu County Government. OSIEPE Practical action joins the many stakeholders organizing the event and is proud to be associated with the occasion as the host family is a member of the CBO. OSIEPE will use the occasion to showcase its agriculture, food and nutrition security activities and related value chain development initiatives. OSIEPE is also making in-kind and cash contribution towards the event. High in our agenda will be the upcoming commissioning of the bulk milk collection centre and related milk and fodder marketing project. In the stakeholder planning committee and on the list to contribute and exhibit at the event are the following, among other partners.
At the event, unveiling of the Kisumu County agriculture and food/nutrition security plans and dairy breeding blueprint, exhibitions, food and nutrition security best practices and technologies, agricultural value chain commodities, tree planting and other activities will be done. Come one, come all and let us continue with the journey towards a food security county with competitive surplus for regional marketing Muhoroni, October 13th 2018: The construction of the Muhoroni Bulk Milk Collection Centre (BMCC) is complete and final fittings of chilling equipment and other mini-processing installations are in final stages. To ensure smooth roll-out of milk collection, dairy farmer payment, effective management of the hub and sustainable marketing, OSIEPE has developed a management strategy being operationalized with the participation of over 1000 farmers organized in 27 dairy interest groups (blocks) across Muhoroni sub-County. A steering committee has been setup to oversee the plans and hub take-off. The following have been going on as part of the sustainable roll-out the operations of the facility:
The commissioning will take place during the last week of October 2016. A status meeting is planned for 16th October for handing over of the facility by the contractor to OSIEPE and partners. Muhoroni 3rd October 2018: As part of the preparations and capacity building for the Muhoroni OSIEPE dairy hub management, the Executive Committee organized a learning visit for the chilling plant management committee to the neighbouring Nandi County. The visit targeted the Lesson Dairy Chilling Plant and peer farmers in the county. The committee, witnessed first hand milk collection, delivery, chilling and marketing processes. The interaction with dairy farmers, chilling plant management and milk buyers was very valuable to the group as they put final touches to rolling out a similar but bigger facility in Muhoroni. A visit to one of the farmers, Mr Chumo, further enlightened the members on practical dairy farming including herd management, calf rearing, clean milk production and feed management. Similar Learning visits had earlier been organized to Kiambu and Makwenu Counties |
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April 2019
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