Embu’s Dairy Engine Roars to Life as CS Mutahi Kagwe Flags Off 13 Milk Coolers to Farmer Groups

 

 Kenya’s dairy sector received a major boost today after the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Senator Mutahi Kagwe, flagged off 13 milk coolers to dairy farmer groups in Runyenjes and Manyatta, Embu County.

Hosted by Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, the event marked a significant milestone in the government’s drive to enhance milk productivity, improve quality standards, and raise farmer incomes under the ongoing dairy value chain transformation agenda.

“Embu’s dairy engine has roared to life — from farm to market,” CS Kagwe declared during the flag-off ceremony. “This investment is a clear demonstration of our government’s commitment to building a profitable, sustainable, and globally competitive dairy sector.”

Installed at a total cost of KSh 77.93 million, the milk coolers are expected to benefit over 3,900 farmers, enabling the aggregation of 25,000 litres of milk per day valued at approximately KSh 1.125 million daily. This translates to 9.12 million litres annually, worth an estimated KSh 410.6 million.

According to CS Kagwe, the new cooling infrastructure will significantly reduce post-harvest losses, improve milk quality, and open the door for value addition, including the production of milk powder and other dairy-based products for local and export markets.

“By improving milk storage and quality, we are giving our farmers the foundation to venture into value addition and access more lucrative markets,” Kagwe said.

The initiative comes just weeks after the government banned the importation of milk powder, a move designed to protect and strengthen local milk producers and processors.

Governor Cecily Mbarire hailed the project as a game-changer for Embu’s rural economy, saying it will turn dairy aggregation centres into vibrant business hubs generating employment and stimulating auxiliary services such as transport, packaging, and cold-chain logistics.

CS Kagwe further reaffirmed the government’s broader commitment to revitalizing Kenya’s dairy industry through targeted investments, policy support, and farmer empowerment programs.

“Through the State Department for Livestock Development, we will continue scaling up farmer support — including subsidies for vaccination, provision of sexed semen, and access to affordable animal feeds — to ensure our dairy farmers remain competitive locally and internationally,” he noted.

The CS emphasized that the Embu project was part of a larger national strategy to modernize the livestock sector, boost productivity, and secure Kenya’s position as a regional leader in dairy production and export.