Smart Harvest - 4th April 2021

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FREE with The Standard I Saturday, March 27, 2021

What new dairy regulations mean for farmers. Pg 3 How dairy keeper bounced back after Sh600,000 loss.

Pg 8

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& Technology

Internship stint in Kenya opened the eyes of Netherlands national to the gold in hay baling in Eldoret Pg 4-5

How foreign intern rose into a hay baling guru

2 Smart harvest

Saturday, March 27, 2021 The Standard

Value addition Owing to market troubles Kieni Dairy Products Ltd membership dipped from 10,000, to less than 2,000 farmers but thanks to innovation, they stood test of time.

BBy Nanjinia Wamuswa

nwamuswa@standardmedia.co.ke

In 2010, a group of farmers in Kieni West Sub County in Nyeri County came together so that they could jointly negotiate for better milk prices.

Around that time, matters were made worse by brokers or middlemen who exploited farmers. That is what inspired formation of Kieni Dairy Products Ltd (KDPL).

To drive the project, the group elected interim officials to steer the newly formed cooperative.

“After being exploited for long, coupled with low prices, there was need for farmers to come together to bargain together and make money through economies of scale,” Isaac Mwaniki chief executive officer KDPL tells The Smart Harvest and Technology.

The company aggregated milk from farmers and sold to larger processors, giving farmers better prices than before.

“At that time, the company was primarily just a chilling centre before milk was transported to larger processors. But they started exploring the option of value addition,” Mwaniki says.

With time, the number of farmers increased to more than 10,000, forcing them to split into seven cooperatives. They are Mweiga, Endarasha, Watuka, Gataragwa, Thuruthuru, Mwirutia and Ramuria.

Near breaking point Slowly, members started to reap profits in 2016. But as it the trend, there were many seasons when there was milk glut that resulted in low prices.

“We recorded losses during seasons of prolonged low milk prices and this make some farmers abandon dairy farming.”

And the impact of this was that membership dipped from 10,000,

Teething issues that almost sunk dairy into oblivion

Isaac Mwaniki CEO of Kieni Dairy Products Ltd shows some of the yoghurt products the company processes in Nyeri County. [Nanjinia Wamuswa, Standard] to less than 2,000 farmers.

Mwaniki says this was a nearbreaking point for the cooperative. But they never lost hope.

Mwaniki said they steered on with the remaining team doing what they do best. Those who remained continued to supply the cooperative with milk despite the low prices.

Mwaniki says with time, the prices picked up well and more farmers started returning to the company.

Right now, he says they have more than 4,000 farmers, delivering to the cooperative 20,000

Lessons from dairy cooperative that started small Kieni Dairy Products

Limited (KDPL) was founded by a group of farmers in 2010 to negotiate for better prices for their milk.

Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) an entity that supports access to nutritious and safe foods.

Through the Marketplace for Nutritious Foods project, GAIN convened a business networking forum dubbed The

Community of Practice where businesses and other stakeholders exchange ideas and focus on solutions for Small and Medium Enterprises.

The company trains farmers to practice smart agriculture to do away with more cows that produce little milk and invest in few that give more with a proper feeding model.

litres of milk per day.

To stay afloat, since 2018, they have embraced technology and dairy innovations. Their efforts were bolstered after the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) came to their rescue. The organisation bought them machines for pasteurising milk.

They now pasteurise milk which they sell through automated milk dispensing unit in Nyeri and Nairobi.

Expansion plans Through the Marketplace for Nutritious Foods project, GAIN convenes a business networking forum dubbed The Community of Practice where businesses and other stakeholders exchange ideas and focus on solutions for Small and Medium Enterprises.

“The organisation was looking for partners who could deliver products of right quality and quantity to consumers. That is how we started journey together and it has been very successful,” Mwaniki explains.

The CEO adds that GAIN assisted in technical support and market research to explore new milk dispensing outlets.

Yoghurt making Further, Kieni dairy also received grant funding of Sh 10.6 million to buy and install milk processing equipment as part of their expansion strategy.

The processing equipment comprises of a milk pasteuriser and 5,000-litre capacity milk cooling tank.

“The support we have got has seen as grow and compete with other middle level processors in the market,” says Mwaniki.

Mwaniki says pasteurisation of milk, has helped them get better prices for their products.

“When we sell milk at such better prices, we also pass the profits to our farmers. This motivates our farmers,” he says.

He explains despite the high competition in the dairy sector, the fact that they produce high quality has endeared them to various large processors.

Apart from pasteurised and fermented milk, the company also makes yoghurt.

Mwaniki says they process 300 litres of milk into yoghurt in a day, which they sell to locals.

For now, he says the yoghurt making is on a small scale but they have plans to go big.

“We are doing a separate warehousing where we will be processing yoghurt in large volumes,” he says.

The yoghurt which have various flavours costs Sh600 for five litres, three litres cost Sh330, two litres Sh220 and 500gm cost Sh70.

He explains that to prevent adulteration of milk, they have invested in well-structured extension services that ensures that farmers are taught the correct way of handling dairy cows from feeding to milk delivery.

Though now stable, they still face challenges.

For instance, the vast part of Kieni is semi-arid, therefore rainfall is erratic and most of the farmers rarely do fodder preservation.

During dry seasons, you find milk volumes going down because cows are depending on dry fodder. There is challenge in fodder preservation.

4,000

Number of farmers under the cooperative

“But we are now training our farmers to at least diversify and do fodder preservation so that during times of drought we do not have high fluctuations in milk volumes.”

Another challenge, it that when it rains there is plenty of pasture everywhere leading to milk glut in the market. This leads to low prices.

In their future plans, Mwaniki explains that they intend to grow into an independent milk processor.

“To achieve this, we have invested in a chilling and distribution plant in Nairobi and identified milk vendors with automated dispensing machines for distribution of milk in low income areas.”

Data collection

State plans to count number of dairy farmers for good planning T

he government will conduct a census of dairy farmers and their livestock for better planning, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya has said.

Mr Munya said the collection of data which the ministry will undertake in collaboration with the county governments is meant to aid the government in mainstreaming the dairy sub sector.

Speaking at a local FM station, CS Munya said the registration will ena-

ble the government understand how to do pricing for dairy products, meet demand and address livestock diseases.

Free of charge “We will register all the dairy farmers and their livestock so that we can understand their numbers. We want to know the number of farmers and the cows, to understand how much milk they are producing and the prices they are fetching,” Munya said.

The CS said the county governments will be tasked with registering the dairy farmers and livestock at no cost.

“Registration will be done by county governments, who will in turn hand over the data to the Kenya Dairy Board as the regulator,” he said.

“This data will be used in the government’s plan for dairy farmers. We want to understand dairy production, supply and where the farmers are,” he said.

He said the registration of farmers will help the government know the source of milk, which will aid in traceability.

Monthly reports In a bid to have better management of the sector, the CS said processors will be required to submit monthly reports on how much milk they buy.

Further, processors will undergo an inspection of their facilities to

ensure safety of all dairy products, he said.

The government will review milk prices after every six months to ensure dairy farmers are not exploited, Munya added.

He said the new dairy regulations were aimed at ensuring dairy farmers profit from their ventures.

Munya said the government had set minimum prices that buyers will pay dairy farmers, to offset production costs and earn a profit.

“We have eight new regulations to protect dairy farmers, to ensure minimum guaranteed price,” Munya said.

The CS said the government was keen to protect farmers who suffered losses when there is a glut in the market.

He said the government had set the price of a litre must not go below Sh33 a litre even when there is a glut.

[Phares Mutembei]

Smart Harvest is published by: Standard Group PLC. Editor-in-Chief: Ochieng’ Rapuro; Editor, Dailies: John Bundotich; Farming Editor: Philip Keitany; Content Editor: Hellen Miseda; Production Editor: William Bulemi; Quality Assurance Editors: Gathenya Njaramba, Mark Oloo; Contributors: Gardy Chacha, Mercy Kahenda, Lydia Nyawira, Kevine Omollo, Titus Too, Stephen Rutto, Nathan Ochunge, John Shilitsa, Manager, Print Creative: Dan Weloba; Creative Designer: Alice Ariri Photography: Benjamin Sakwa, Kibata Kihu, Kipsang Joseph E-mail: smartharvest@standardmedia.co.ke; Website: www.farmers.co.ke

Smart harvest 3

Saturday, March 27, 2021 The Standard

Industry outlook Of the eight regulations, the one that has stirred excitement among dairy farmers is on minimum price that farmers will be paid for milk delivered.

BBy Macharia Kamau

emacharia@standardmedia.co.ke

After more than a decade seeking a properly regulated dairy industry, the Ministry of Agriculture reached a major milestone with the launch of a set of regulations expected to streamline operations in the sector.

According to Peter Munya, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, the eight regulations are set to bring the diary sector that had been poorly regulated, under more government scrutiny.

The industry has recorded poor growth year after year. This is seen in the fluctuating milk prices that farmers have to grapple with while on the other end, consumers pay high prices.

The poor state of affairs has also seen the influx of imports of processed milk from neighbouring countries, where farmers have an easier time sourcing for animal feeds that are not subject to high tax regimes.

Some of the local milk producers have set up operations in Uganda, for instance, where they process milk and export to Kenya. New dairy regulations will turn around limping sector “The dairy sector is source of livelihood, employment, and income for many households,” Munya said when he launched the Dairy Industry Regulations (2021) last week.

“The sector, however, continues to face several challenges including seasonality of production, low productivity, poor quality, costly and inaccessible animal feeds and lack of adequate regulatory framework.”

More action, less talk Of the eight regulations, the one that has stirred excitement among dairy farmers is on pricing, which has set the minimum price that farmers will be paid for milk delivered.

The Dairy Industry (Pricing of Dairy Produce) Regulations, 2021 has set the minimum price that the farmers earn per litre of milk at Sh33 for unchilled raw milk.

Buyers will pay a farm gate price of Sh35 per litre of chilled milk and Sh37 for a litre of pasteurised milk.

The Ministry said the prices will be subject to review twice every year.

“Going forward, the Ministry through the Kenya Dairy Board will conduct frequent studies and consultations on the cost of milk production to inform biannual milk pricing reviews,” said Munya.

Though better than the Sh19 that they have received in the past for non-chilled raw milk especially when supply is high, analysts noted that the government needs to do more to change the fortunes of farmers.

Nixon Kipng’eno, the farm manager at Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology (RVIST) says there was need to pay farmers better since the proposed figure is still relatively low.

“The minimum price is still low. The cost of producing milk is still high and at Sh33 per litre, you will still be running at a loss especially if you are zero grazing,” he says. “To sustain themselves and their families, a farmer needs at least Sh40 per litre to get a good return.”

Dr Timothy Njagi a research fellow at Tegemeo Institute – Egerton University’s think tank – said the move to regu-

How Munya’s eight regulations can revive limping dairy sector Dairy facts & figures Sh33

The minimum price per litre of milk set

Sh35

The price buyers will pay a farm gate

80%

10%

by the Dairy Industry Regulations for unchilled raw milk.

price per litre of chilled milk and Sh37 for a litre of pasteurised milk.

The amount of milk

consumed in Kenyan homes sold informally.

The import levy which might have the impact of bringing the prices of imports to be at par with locally produced milk.

The fine or a jail

Sh10,000

term of one year for offenders illegally importing milk into the country.

A New KCC employee off load milk at the reception. It is estimated that 80 per cent of milk consumed in Kenyan homes is sold informally. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

A milk ATMs in Nakuru town. late the industry was good but there were are aspects that would be difficult to oversee including the minimum farm gate prices for milk.

This, he noted, would work if the sector was highly formal which the Kenyan one is not.

Challenge of tracing milk sources Setting minimum prices might deny farmers the benefit of higher prices when supply is low, which is currently the case with some of the processors offering farmers upwards of Sh40 a litre.

It could hurt them when supply is high, especially during rainy seasons, and the dairy businesses might be unable to absorb the quantity of milk produced.

During such seasons of glut, consumers also benefit from lower prices, which may not be the case when prices are regulated.

Njagi also notes that the other regulation that may be difficult to implement is the one on traceability of dairy products.

One of the regulations provides for product traceability and recall in a bid to enhance consumer protection. It requires dairy businesses to keep records of their suppliers as well as labelling of their produce for easy follow up should there be

need to recall dairy products from the market.

“The regulations recognise the informal sector, a good move because much of the milk consumed in the country is sold in the informal segment of the dairy industry,” Njagi said.

It is estimated that 80 per cent of milk consumed in Kenyan homes is sold informally. This is seen in how milk is consumed in rural Kenya as well as the proliferation of milk dispensing ‘ATMs’ in urban areas.

The regulations also set minimum requirements on contracts that buyers sign with farmers. According to Munya this will deal with exploitative nature of contracts that dairy farmers currently have with buyers, which he described as weak and inadequate.

Problem of weak contracts To address such gaps, the Dairy Industry (Milk Sales Contract) Regulations, 2021 prohibits businesses buying milk from farmers without having in place a written contract. According to the regulation, the move intends for fair trade in the sale of milk and to protect the investment interests of buyers and sellers of milk.

Farid Wangara, Principal Officer at Acre Africa, which works with farmers in mitigating risks, said the regulations are a move in the right direction for all players across the dairy value chain.

He noted that a well regulated industry should improve earnings for players as well as increase quality of products for consumers and generally lead to a more sustainable industry.

“The move to set minimum prices for farmers is welcome. Many a time, private contracts that are not regulated always favour the extremely large scale farmers, leaving the small scale farmers vulnerable. Setting the minimum prices will help protect the small holder farmers from

exploitation,” he explains.

“In a well regulated industry, all sector players are always left in a better position. More importantly, the focus should then shift from personal benefits to quality production and sustainability. More often, unregulated sectors give rise to poor management, exploitation and too many middlemen that eventually push prices up. It is important then that the government should put more emphasis on long term sustainability and increase

“The minimum price is still low. The cost of producing milk is still high and at Sh33 per litre, you will still be running at a loss especially if you are zero grazing,” Nixon Kipng’eno farm manager Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology

self-sufficiency.”

He also noted that kicking out middlemen would stabilise prices and empower farmers. This could also help deal with the challenge of fluctuating prices.

“The importance of regulation is to reduce exploitation and variation in prices of goods and services,” said Wangara. “This would give fair play for all sector players. Sometimes, forces of demand and supply often result in unfair prices and the end person that feels the pinch is the small scale producers. A good policy framework should leave everyone in the value chain happy.”

The regulations have also made an attempt to restrict the importation of dairy products from the neighbouring countries.

The Agriculture Ministry, through the

Dairy Industry (Imports and Exports) Regulations, 2021, said the regulations are aimed at protecting Kenya’s dairy industry against unfair trade practices, competition and dumping (diversion of re-export) of dairy products in the country.

The industry regulator, Kenya Dairy Board will only grant an import licence in instances where it is evident that the local production cannot meet demand.

Imports will attract an import levy of 10 per cent, which might bring the prices of imports at par with locally produced milk.

As part of the regulations, illegally importing milk will attract “stiff penalties that include forfeiture to the Board or the destruction of the imported dairy produce material, additives, or equipment”. The regulations, prescribe a fine of Sh10 000 or a jail term of one year for offenders.

The government has also changed the way it computes cess paid by dairy farmers, which will now be paid to county governments that choose to charge the levy. The regulations however limit payment of the cess to the county where the milk is produced to avoid double taxation.

“A county government may impose cess not exceeding 0.5 per cent of the farm gate price payable by a primary producer,” reads the regulation. “A county government shall not impose or charge cess on dairy produce emanating from another county.”

In the 2004 Legal notice on cess on dairy products, which is now revoked following the coming into the force of the regulations, a dairy farmer, paid 20 cents per litre.

At the current set price of Sh33 per litre of raw milk, a 0.5 per cent cess means farmers will pay 6.5 cents per litre to the county.

4 Smart harvest

Saturday, March 27, 2021 The Standard

Smart harvest 5

Saturday, March 27, 2021 The Standard

Technology

How foreign investor tapped gold with hay baling

Silage making is a method meant for fodder crops that hold large amounts of moisture within their cells and cannot shed off this moisture without rotting.

According to Samuel Rono, the Nandi County director of livestock production, the types of fodder crops include maize, napier grass, sorghum and sugarcane tops.

During the process of silage making using maize, Rono says, the crop is usually ready for ensiling when the cob will has reached the dough stage.

“Small scale farmers use chaff cutters of small engines to cut the maize. Large scale farmers use a maize chopper mounted to a tractor which chops the crop in the field and delivers it on to another track which delivers to the site for compaction,” Rono notes.

He says the principle behind the silage is to create an environment for anaerobic bacteria to thrive.

“This is achieved by compacting the chopped material to eliminate air as much as possible. The sugars contained in the stalk is used by the bacteria to carry out the process. For crops, which are low in sugar content in their stalks, molasses should be used at a ratio of 3:1,” he says.

He says once all the chopped material has been compacted, it is covered with a polythene sheet followed by soil or saw dust to keep off rain.

The machines at work harvesting maize for silage preparation at one of the maize plantations that supplies the produce to Agri Assist Ltd in Eldoret for silage making. bail the fodder,” he says.

The automated forage harvester can compact and bail the fodder in airtight rolls immediately on harvest to ensure high standards of quality.

Components of the harvester include blades that cut the stems, a section that gathers the stems into the machine, feed rolls, cutter drum that chop the biomass into small pieces and a corn processor.

300 acres

The size of land for maize production meant for silage making.

BBy Titus Too

“I started with the importation of specialised silage covers.

They sold well, and I realised there was a big vacuum in the market for quality inputs,”

ttoo@standardmedia.co.ke

In 2014, Eric De Jong, a student from Netherlands completed his threemonth internship at the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.

Instead of going back home to a life of luxury and comfort, something nudged him to stay on and study the dairy industry in Eldoret.

During his internship, he had interacted closely with a number of dairy farmers in Eldoret, parts of Central Kenya, Meru and Nakuru and he picked a lot from the episode.

“From my interactions with breeders, I saw a business opportunity and how I could make impact in the dairy sector in Kenya. I had interacted with a number of dairy farmers and got to know their investment needs. I saw a gap in the market and dived in,” says De Jong, married to a Kenyan from the area.

That is what prompted him to start Agri Assist Ltd in Eldoret — that specialises in importation of farm machinery and production of high quality silage for small holders.

Capital-intensive investment Through the support of family and loans, De Jong was able to import a con-

Eric De Jong, investor

Agri Assist Ltd managing director Eric De Jong checks on maize chopping machine at the farm in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. Most of the machines they sell target dairy farmers, for making animal feeds. They include a mower, rake, bailer, forage harvest, planters and mixer. [Christopher Kipsang,Standard] signment of farm machinery from The Netherlands worth millions of shillings.

“Importing such heavy machines from Europe is a process. There is huge paperwork involved and the levies were heavy, but I was determined to set up the project,” he says.

Having seen the challenge farmers faced with packaging silage, he also explored that area.

“To solve that issue, I imported specialised silage covers. They sold well, and I realised a big vacuum in the market for quality inputs for dairy farmers,” he says.

Most of the machines they sell target dairy farmers, for making animal feeds.

They include a mower, rake, bailer, forage harvest, planters and mixers.

Big and small machines Other than the small and medium machines, the company has also invested in a Sh15 million forage harvester machine that operates at a go with two tippers collecting harvested fodder and two tractors to compact the fodder.

“Our forage machines have a capacity of harvesting 50 acres of crop a day and

Some of the silage ready for sale. The company uses above ground pit for their storage.

Set the ball rolling On top of the machines, De Jong also bought 10 acres for growing maize for silage making and hired a firm in Eldoret to harvest the same.

Additionally, to meet the dairy needs for silage, the company leases 300 acres of land for the cultivation of maize that produces over 4,800 tonnes of silage within 14 months.

At the beginning of the venture, he bought 300 plastic containers for packaging to guarantee quality feeds for dairy farmers.

[Christopher Kipsang,Standard].

Rono cites some methods of silage making as trench silage, tube silage and stack silos.

The stack silo is made on the surface and covered with polythene materials.

Hay on the other hand is conserved pasture made by dehydrating leguminous fodder including vetch, desmodium, lucerne or rhodes grass from well established fields to reach 85 per cent dry.

Rono says conservation of hay to required percentages of dehydration makes it possible to store it for long periods and avail it for quality feeds when grasses are in short supply.

“High quality hay is harvested at optimum growth when 50 per cent of the plant begins to flower. Timing is therefore important on two issues quality and quantity,” says Rono.

Rono says at the flowering stage, valued nutrients are at maximum, which is ideal for high digestion by the animal.

“Hay quality decreases with advance in age, while the biomass increase with an increase in age. A farmer or an entrepreneur has to balance the two,” Rono points it out.

He says pasture should be harvested not later than the start of flowering stage if a farmer wants to derive maximum benefit. It is advisable to cut pasture at intervals of two months leaving a height of five centimetres.

“Since pasture production is largely rain fed, the number of possible harvests on average from a well established field is a minimum of three in a single season with each harvest yielding an average of 300 bales of hay per acre each weighing on average 15kgs,” he adds.

Network of clients So far, Agri Assist Ltd has established a network of clients across the country who make orders for the bailed silage.

Dairy farmers also buy loose silage sold at the company premise in Eldoret.

The venture, he reveals, generates about Sh5 million annually.

“We offer quality silage to farmers at affordable rates. Loose silage goes for Sh9 per kg while that silage in bails goes for Sh12 per kg. Each bail weighs between 370kgs and 400 kgs.

“From the sales, a profit of one shilling is achieved from each kilo since the prices are friendly to support local farmers,” he says.

De Jong, an animal nutritionist says though he is not making super profits as many may assume, his

pride is to see the attitude change in locals as they embrace quality animal feeds and modern technologies.

But still, there is work to do, he admits.

No shortcuts please And it has not been a walk in the park. Some farmers he says, are yet to accept that maintaining a cow is not a cheap venture and there are no shortcuts.

“Some traditional farmers believe that maize is meant for human consumption, and it has taken time for them to accept that maize can be used to prepare quality silage,” he says.

The biggest challenge he faced was the many business procedures and levies, to establish the business.

Best practices “After getting a business permit, there are additional costs to get some certifications. I am not an exception by being a foreigner because even local entrepreneurs face the same,” he says.

Other than selling quality hay to his clients, he is also on a mission to educate them on the importance of embracing best practices in dairy production.

“I noticed that most farmers practice poor animal husbandry. I found farmers claiming to be making silage but when I looked at it, it was contaminated with manure. Such practices are costly because they lead to animal losses,” says De Jong.

SPONSORED CONTENT

[Christopher Kipsang,Standard]

Internship stint in Kenya opened the eyes of the Netherlands national to the gold in hay baling and now he specialises in importation of farm machines and production of high quality silage.

high starch for high milk production and should be easily digested by the dairy cow,” he says.

Tips and tricks on silage and hay making

Underground pit silage The company has chosen to focus on above ground pit silage storage as opposed to commonly used underground pit.

“We do not do the underground pit silage but instead focus on the above ground pit. After harvesting maize it should not be exposed to air for more than 10 hours before it is covered. This will ensure there are no bacteria in it,” he says adding that fermentation takes four or three weeks depending on the size of the pit.

According to De Jong, the right variety of crop must be chosen for quality feeds.

“We use Pannar 691 (a maize variety), which is harvested after six months. A good fodder should have

Organic certification – what you need to know

By Njeri Kinuthia

S

mall scale farmers in Kenya have for a long time concentrated in the production of food crops targeting the local markets. This has denied them reach to international markets which would offer premium pay for their products. Most export markets have set standards such as the need for producers to be organic certified. As the world becomes more like a global village, international markets are opening to local producers, and farmers need to step up to these opportunities by ensuring that their produce meets these required standards. One example is the cassava market. Countries beyond the African continent are in dire need of cassava flour, for various reasons, majorly health. Kenya, especially, Western Kenya, is a major producer of cassava, and if well organised, cassava producers in this region could tap on these emerging international markets to improve their livelihoods. One way to achieve this, is through working with cooperative societies to ensure that farmer groups supplying cassava for processing into flour have organic certification, for their produce to be acceptable in these markets.

A cassava cooperative society in Busia, Kenya, Tanga Kona CBO is currently faced with this need after an American based customer, requested to be receiving 25,000Kg of organic cassava flour per week. The group has been selling their products to the local markets and their farmer suppliers are not organic certified, even though cassava does not require substantial chemical inputs to grow, since it is an indigenous crop.

Just like many other groups wishing they could have the organic certificate for their produce to be acceptable in export markets, knowing the various kinds of certification and what they entail is the first step for this society, to have its suppliers certified. Through Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT), an organisation that champions ecologically sustainable agriculture, through various programmes in Africa and beyond, the group was guided on the processes involved in organic certification.

Organic certification is a process by which an independent party gives a written assurance that the production/ processing systems are in conformity with organic standards.”

What is organic certification and why it is important?

Any business directly involved in food production or processing can be certified, including seed suppliers, farmers, food processors, retailers and restaurants.

Organic certification is a process by which an independent party gives a written assurance that the production/ processing systems are in conformity with organic standards.

In organic production, there is avoidance of use of synthetic chemical inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides antibiotics, food additives, sewage sludge and genetically modified seeds. The farmland should be free

from prohibited chemical inputs for a minimum period of 2 to 3 years.

Maintaining physical separation of organic and non-organic products must be strictly followed.

There are various organic standards at the private, national, regional, and international levels. The International Federation for Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM-Organics International) Basic Standards and Codex standards provide a framework for certification bodies to develop their own certification standards. There are two major types of certification; third party certification and Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS).

In Third party certification, there should be a clear record of how the production process is intended to be done. (Where the seeds are to be obtained from, how the soil fertility is to be enhanced, pest control methods to be applied, and how the yields are to be harvested and stored). During the process, random and planned inspections and tests on soil and water are done by external auditors to ensure that the planned approaches are being followed, and that the records are kept consistently.

PGS certifies group producers based on their active participation and it is built on trust, social networks and exchange of knowledge. It is done in groups and all participants must come from the same locality. If one member falls short of the set standards, in the process, the whole group loses credibility and cannot be certified.

The certificate is renewed annually.

If the farmer, is transitioning from conventional to organic farming, the farm must have been free of prohibited substances for 2-3 years. During this

Kilimo Hai Mark. [Courtesy] period of transition, the produce is not considered fully organic. PGS is more accessible and affordable for the smallholder farmer, as it is designed specifically for producer/farmer groups.

While third party certification involves independent players to guide, train and asses the producers’ compliance to the standards for a period of time, in PGS certification, farmers, consumers and other stakeholders of the groups undergoing the process participate directly in choosing the standards of the processes, developing, and implementing the certification procedures and decisions.

For other operations other than farming, the main areas of focus of certification include quality of ingredients, and the conditions of processing, packaging, and transport.

Certification bodies in Kenya

Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania joined together to harmonize the existing organic standards into one known as the East Africa Organic Products Standard which was launched in 2005 and 2006. It is known as the Kilimo Hai mark. Under this umbrella, there are existing bodies that provide certification services in Kenya and other East African countries. These include: The Kenya Certifiers -0727 977 009; Encert.net- 0724 910 210; Ecocert0725 527 521 and Control Union- 0702 618 885. All these are renowned certifiers in Kenya.

Njeri Kinuthia is the Project Officer of The Outreach Project in Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT).

Email: nkinuthia@biovisionafrica.org

6 Smart harvest

Saturday, March 27, 2021 The Standard

Livestock keeping What you need to know about Newcastle disease

DR WATSON MESSO

D

ear Dr Messo I keep layer chickens and I have noticed that some of them have twisted necks. What causes twisting of necks in chickens and can you shed more light on mad chick syndrome... [Caroline Koome] Dear Koome It is common for avian veterinarians dealing with poultry farmers to hear complaints of twisted necks or circling motion or star gazing signs in a flock. It is important to collect more information about the history of condition, that include any previous vaccination, mortality pattern, level of biosecurity in the farm and any recent outbreak in the neighbourhood.

After thorough investigation which includes conducting postmortem examination and studying the blood picture (serology) of the live birds, the verdict should be a condition referred to as Newcastle disease. Here are six facts about Newcastle disease.

1. Introduction Newcastle disease is an old infection associated with poultry and wild birds as early as 1926. It is a respiratory disease and can cause high mortality in non-vaccinated flocks. Newcastle disease is notifiable, that means the government must be informed of its presence.

2. Etiology (Cause) The disease is caused by a virus called avian paramyxovirus type 1.

Over the years, scientists have isolated five different strains of the virus mostly associated with distinct signs of the disease commonly observed in the field.

3. Clinical signs Depending on the strain of the circulating virus, the disease can present five different and distinct clinical signs. The first form of the disease is mainly confined in the intestinal tracts of the birds where it causes massive hemorrhages, affecting the immune system and is very virulent resulting into huge mortality. The birds do not eat and pass out greenish diarrhoea. This form is called Viscerotropic velogenic type.

The second form causes high mortality following respiratory and nervous signs with birds appearing as if they are looking at the stars (star gazers), show twisted necks, walk in circles and have difficulty in breathing.

Layers will have drop in egg numbers. If the flock was vaccinated, there will be rapid recovery in two to three weeks, this form is referred to as Neurotropic velogenic type.

In the third form, there will be involvement of respiratory signs and bit of the nervous signs, but mortality is very low. Farmers may not easily recognise the disease. It is referred to as Mesogenic form.

The fourth form of the disease -Lentogenic form- will affect respiratory system with little or no infection. The last form is where there are absolutely no symptoms at all, and the infection is limited to intestinal tracts only. It is thus referred to as asymptomatic. It is important to state that not all cases of Newcastle can be picked up by just observing the signs in a flock of birds. This is why it is important for a qualified vet to do other tests to verify presence of infection.

4. Autopsy (lesions seen at postmortem) There are no gross lesions specifically associated with this disease, if the respiratory form is present. One may observe at postmortem inflammation of the sinuses, trachea and air sacs. If the alimentary canal is affected, there will be pin point haemorrhages in the proventriculus, along intestines linings and cecal tonsils. A qualified vet should carry out postmortem and further laboratory analyses to confirm infection by use of serology and virus isolation.

5. Treatment and control There is no treatment of this disease. The good news is there are vaccines that if used properly can reduce or minimise losses drastical-

There is no treatment for Newcastle disease, the good news is that there are vaccines. ly. Consult your local veterinarian to give you a working vaccination programme with the right type of vaccines. Farmers can also practice good bio-security measures to reduce field challenge and help eradicate this condition in our farms. Avoid contact with infected flocks, keep your poultry units locked all the time and practice good hygiene.

[Dr Watson Messo Odwako, Company Veterinarian at Kenchic Limited vet@kenchic.com]

A chicken with twisted neck. This is a sign of New Castle.

A worker milks a cow at Kisii Agricultural Training Centre. Milk fever is a common dairy disease and affects expectant animals after calving down when demand for calcium is high due to colostrum production. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Yes, you can treat milk fever in your livestock DR OTHIENO JOSEPH

D

ear Dr Othieno I am a worried dairy farmer.

Of my six dairy animals, four have suffered from milk fever. What can I do to prevent this disease from recurring on my farm? [David Kamau, Ndenderu, Kiambu County] Dear Kamau, sorry for the loss of your animals to milk fever. I suppose this was a diagnosis from your veterinary doctor because milk fever shares its clinical signs with many other diseases. Fortunately, milk fever is a treatable and preventable disease.

What is milk fever?

Milk fever is described as temporary low calcium in an animal’s blood (medically called hypocalcemia). It is a common dairy disease and affects expectant animals after calving down when demand for calcium is high due to colostrum production. Calcium is normally mobilised from feeds or cow’s bones. It is common in dry cows fed grass, rather than conserved fodder. Jersey and Guernsey breeds have a higher incidence of milk fever. Milk fever occurs frequently in second or third calvers as the ability to mobilise calcium diminishes with age. At around calving time, high levels of oestrogen hormone inhibits calcium mobilisation, because birth stress reduces a cow’s appetite. Dietary deficiencies in magnesium, diarrhoea also reduces absorption of calcium from the gut.

Disease management Cows that suffer from calcium deficiency are also more susceptible to

other reproductive diseases and conditions like mastitis, retained afterbirth, uterine prolapse and dystocia.

This makes prevention through prophylaxis (calcium supplementation), proper feeding and early diagnosis the only effective mitigation against this disease.

The disease occurs in stages as follows: - In the first stage, the animal will have muscle tremors, restlessness, stiff gait, and slightly elevated temperature. Very often this stage goes unnoticed because of its short duration (less than one hour).

In stage two, the feed intake reduces affecting the animals’ ability to move.

The cows will lie on the stomach with an extended neck or put the head on the flank. Early symptoms of paralysis may also appear, the cattle develop cold extremities and dilated pupils. In the last phase of milk fever, the cow lies on its side, loses consciousness, and falls into a coma. Death may occur if the animal is not treated.

Milk fever can also be classified into typical, refractory or atypical and tremors or sub-acute milk fever. The typical milk fever is an acute form. It affects cows within a few days after parturition, but it sometimes occurs in late lactation or the dry period. This form of the disease responds well to effective and timely treatment.

Refractory or atypical milk fever is also an acute form of the disease which is characterised by little or no response to treatment. The cow may remain alert, eat, and milk but cannot

The Don’ts Do not breed cows with a history of milk fever.

Do not over feed pregnant animals.

Don’t give a diet deficient in

magnesium especially during the critical times.

Do not give more than 50 g/ day to a cow in its last gestation.

regain her feet predisposing the animal to other secondary diseases.

Tremors or sub-acute cows with tremors or sub-acute form of milk fever are easily excited with muscle twitching and tremors occurring. Usually, several cows are involved. Many of these animals may be in late lactation, dry, or recently fresh. Often, there is a magnesium deficiency involved in this form of disease.

Treatment and prevention of milk fever The treatment of choice for milk fever is slow, intravenous infusion of 8-12g of calcium as soon as possible.

This should be done by a vet. The cow will get back to its feet a few minutes after infusion.

Good outcome from treatment is improved through tender love and care of the animal. Sit the cow in a sternal recumbency position and turn her often. She should be turned to lie on the opposite side every two hours.

Shelter the cow from harsh weather.

Prevention is only easy with good knowledge of the disease. The critical time for milk fever is around calving.

During this time, an animal at risk must be supplied with calcium.

To stimulate the active regulatory mechanisms of calcium metabolism, the calcium content in the feed should be reduced three to four weeks before calving. Vitamin D 3 plays a role in calcium metabolism by ensuring that the absorption from the intestines and bones is increased to meet the high demand. To protect the cow from milk fever around calving, administer oral calcium salts available in liquid, boluses, pastes and gels. When administering liquids, make sure the animal does not choke so that the liquids do not get into the lungs.

[The writer is the Vet of the Year Award winner and works in the Division of Communication and Vet Advisory Services within the Directorate of Veterinary Services; jothieno43@ yahoo.com]

SPONSORED CONTENT

KAGRC: Promoting Kenyan Animal Genetics through Artificial Insemination

T

he Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Centre (KAGRC) formerly Central Artificial Insemination Station (CAIS) was established under State Corporation Act through a legal Notice No. 110 of September 2011 as a successor of CAIS that was established in 1946.The organization whose headquarters are in Lower Kabete, was established with the objective of controlling breeding diseases and genetic improvement of the national cattle population.

KAGRC produces, preserves, and conserves animal genetic material - semen embryo, tissues and live animals - while rearing breeding bulls for the provision of high quality disease-free semen for national demand and export.

KAGRC collaborates with other breeding organizations including the Kenya Stud Book, the Dairy Recording Services of Kenya and the Livestock Recording Center in order to achieve its mandate.

The sires of KAGRC bulls are selected from internationally renowned sires for milk production, components, longevity and type traits.

The dams of the bulls are also selected from registered milk recorded herds that

are superior in production, longevity and fertility. The Centre mainly recruits bulls from Kenyan cattle population and only a few are produced through embryo transfer.

Currently, the Centre rears bulls of Friesian, Ayrshire, Guernsey, Jersey, Sahiwal and Boran breeds.

KAGRC produces, preserves, and conserves animal genetic material semen embryo, tissues and live animals - while rearing breeding bulls for the provision of high quality disease-free semen for national demand and export.”

Semen is produced in accordance with internationally accepted standards (OIE regulations).

All semen produced is properly labeled and examined for viability prior to distribution.

Reports from KAGRC Agents and farmers indicate that the conception rates with KAGRC semen on heifers and adult

cows is estimated at 1.2 and 1.4 inseminations per conception respectively.

The Centre has devolved A.I. services to the farming communities through its substations in Kirinyaga, Sotik, Eldoret, Tharaka Nithi and Nyahururu; and appointed distribution agents in over 40 counties. The Centre provides support services for own-farm semen collection and storage; updated information on our bulls and extension services to farmers; in addition to availing tested A.I. equipment at affordable prices. The Centre also collaborates with tertiary institutions and A.I service providers on genetic selection, semen production and handling in addition to assisting counties in revitalising the A.I services for increased livestock productivity. The Centre has identified key priorities in order to achieve desired goals which are aligned to the Big 4 agenda on Food and nutrition security. Currently, KAGRC is finalizing on construction of the 1st Dairy Goat Centre in Africa; which will soon produce and distribute dairy goat germplasm for improved productivity of dairy goats in the country to an average of 4-6litres per day per goat.

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Philip Kimutai’s wife Getrude Rono at the dairy farm in Mosoriot, Nandi County. [Christopher Kipsang, Standard]

After losing four heifers valued at Sh150,000 each, the Ronos are now keen on proper feeding and a robust disease control programme.

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For most agriprenuers, if you lose an investment worth Sh600,000 your most obvious move would be to quit altogether.

But not so for risk taker dairy farmer Kimutai Rono and his wife Getrude Rono. In 2014, the Ronos lost four high breed dairy cows worth Sh600,000 due to ignorance. Mr Rono attributes this loss to poor disease and feeds management plan.

“That was a painful and costly lesson and we learnt the hard way. No we are keen on bio security measures and we feed the dairy on quality feeds and monitor their health closely,” he tells The Smart Harvest and Technology at their farm in Mosoriot, Nandi County.

Now each of his lactating cows produces an average of between 25 and 30 litres of milk a day.

Rocky journey Mr Rono ventured into dairy farming in 2014 after attending an agricultural event at the University of Eldoret which

Dairy tips  The dairy herd have

been programmed for milking thrice a day – at 6AM, 12PM and 5PM. This is to prevent mastitis attacks due to accumulated milk in the udders.

The farm has also invested on machines including chaff-cutters.  The cow dung is used to make biogas for cooking, and as green manure in the kitchen garden.

cost implications, I made a decision to invest in four pedigree in-calf heifers without factoring what it took to reach such high performance levels,” recalls Rono.

He later visited a dairy breeder at Kapkuto farm in Nandi County where he bought four heifers at Sh150,000 each.

Rono added the new entrants to his four other indigenous breeds and began the project with enthusiasm.

“I had not constructed a proper house nor did I have a solid feeding plan. I assumed the Friesians would fit into the haphazard plan with the other

Philip Kimutai and his wife Getrude Rono at the Mosoriot dairy farm. [Christopher Kipsang,Standard] was showcasing latest dairy breeds.

“I was impressed by the Friesian dairy breeds on display. They were producing 50 litres of milk per cow daily.

Without thinking much about

traditional breeds. I let them graze free range like the rest of the cows and they slept in the makeshift structure,” says Rono.

That was a costly mistake.

“Within a few months, they started showing signs of ill health and their milk production dipped to five litres a day.

Over the next months, they lost weight drastically and died one by one. I was devastated but vowed to push on.”

Now wiser, he researched on best dairy husbandry practices for the next herd management.

“With information from Google and what I learnt from several agricultural field days, I learnt about effective feed programmes and disease control,” he says.

Small and manageable For maximum production, Rono’s strategy is to have a leaner dairy population but with high productivity levels.

Now he keeps 10 mature pedigree Freisian dairy cows.

Four are dry, while six are lactating. He also has a secure market for his milk.

“We now work closely with a veterinary officer and agricultural nutritionist to get things right,” says Rono.

They have also laid out an elaborate feeding plan to secure the milk production levels.

“We ensure there is adequate maize bran and wheat bran. We have planted maize on five acres that is used for silage making. Now the optimal milk production per cow is 27 litres per day,” reveals Rono.