In an event that occurred on 24th of April 2019 at the group’s satellite office in Oseng’teti, the CBO made another leap forward by officially launching an Artificial Insemination Centre in partnership with GenePlus Breeders Kenya Ltd.
The event that was attended by members of OSIEPE Practical Action, local farmers from the larger Muhoroni sub-county, representatives from both RTI-KCDMS program and GenePlus, saw OSIEPE acquire a complete AI infrastructure including a 47 litre liquid nitrogen storage tank, a complete AI kit for one of the service providers attached to the group and start-up semen and liquid nitrogen supplies. This groundbreaking initiative will go a long way in ensuring that farmers receive timely and affordable AI services. Courtesy of this noble partnership, registered members of OSIEPE dairy business hub will now access AI services from as low as KES 1,500 per insemination for local/KAGRC semen while imported semen will cost as low as KES 1,600 per insemination.
The AI center will be hosted at the group’s agrovet at Chemelil roundabout – Chemelil Agroselect, from where AI service providers in the region can now access AI supplies. The center will be managed by two qualified AI service providers that were trained under the AVCD program and have now entered into an agreement with OSIEPE to offer services to members of OSIEPE dairy hub.
Aside from the launching of the AI services, the other objectives of the meeting included:
- Establishment of status of fodder commercialization and milk production.
- Sensitization of farmers on good dairy husbandry practices that will promote milk productivity and supply.
- Deliberation of strategies for taking the benefits of these new dairy initiatives to scale.
During the event, the Chairman of OSIEPE – Mr Hezekiah Omenda, underscored the importance of the event as a milestone that will address the challenge of limited access to reliable AI services that has been a major impediment to off-take of dairy farming in the sub-county. Speaking at the same event, Ms Beverly Shitandi from RTI-KCDMS regional office in Kisumu emphasized their commitment to supporting OSIEPE enhance their milk marketing and fodder commercialization busineses. She encouraged farmers to take advantage of the initiatives and be more deliberate in their investment in dairy farming. OSIEPE will continue to unlock the dairy potential in the region and bring the benefits of dairy farming to the larger community beyond the immediate membership of OSIEPE CBO.