Farmers contracted by milk processor Brookside Dairy have been paid a record Sh500 million in the year to November 2024 under a scheme that rewards producers for milk quality and surpassing supply targets.
The payout represents a 41 percent increase on the previous year.
“The beneficiary farmer groups and individual suppliers are those who signed up for our reward scheme and were given raw milk supply targets, for both quantity and quality. We are rewarding these farmers as a recognition of their toil over the contract period,” said Emmanuel Kabaki, Brookside’s General Manager for milk procurement.
The farmer reward scheme was introduced by Brookside about six years ago in recognition of the critical role that raw milk suppliers play upstream in the dairy value chain.
The payout has increased over the years as the processor’s base of contracted farmers has expanded.
Brookside has implemented aggressive farmer capacity building programmes in key raw milk production areas as it seeks to further increase volumes supplied to it.
The processor says at least 160,000 dairy farmers have benefited from its extension services this year alone, which include field day training and the use of demonstration farms to showcase best practice in the dairy enterprise.
“The reward...has boosted the supply of high-quality milk, thus enabling us to tap into a larger share of high-value products,” Mr Kabaki said.
The processor has also worked with farmers to develop fodder for dairy cows, besides working on breed genetic improvement through support with semen straws.
It has also been engaging farmers in afforestation initiatives to ensure sustainable dairy production through increased tree cover.
Mr Kabaki said that Brookside is also strengthening the dairy supply chain through the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies that promote sustainable milk production across the country, including practices such as agroforestry and the use of biogas as a clean energy source.
“We are also working with our farmers on fodder establishment through distribution of fodder. This year, we have so far distributed a total of nearly 250,000 cuttings of Super Napier and sweet potato vines as fodder to our farmers for establishment on the farms,” the official said.
