BARINGO, August 4, 2026 — The largest farmers’ cooperative society in Baringo County has reported a sharp decline in milk production across the Kenya’s highland areas, blaming poor farming practices and inadequate government support for the dairy sector.
Speaking during an educational meeting held at the Katimok Coffee Factory grounds in Baringo North Sub-county, Tugen Hills Farmers’ Cooperative Society secretary Mark Yatich attributed the decline over the past three years to poor practices at farmer level and a lack of support from the county government.
Yatich said the society, which serves farmers in the higher, cooler zones of the county, had recorded a drastic drop in milk production from 86,000 litres in 2024 to just 22,000 litres by June this year.
He warned that if the trend continues, the society could be forced to close its main dairy unit in Kabarnet town, which has consistently supplied milk to eateries in the county headquarters, Marigat Township and several institutions across the county.
Addressing more than 300 farmers, Yatich called on stakeholders in the dairy sector to play their part in reversing the decline and increasing productivity.
He said the society was partnering with other stakeholders to improve the breeds of cattle kept by its members in a bid to increase milk production and, consequently, improve farm profitability.
“We do not have subsidised artificial insemination services in Baringo North and Central, so farmers depend on commercial services, whose prices are very high. The rest rely on local bulls, which results in lower production,” he said.
Haron Kemei, who is in charge of the dairy section at the society, discouraged farmers from free-range grazing and urged the county administration to subsidise animal feeds, which he identified as another factor contributing to low milk production in the region.
Meanwhile, County Cooperative Development Officer James Maina urged elderly coffee farmers to allocate small portions of their land to young people and women to address growing family conflicts arising from economic exclusion.
Maina said some young people and women in the region were not benefiting from coffee farming despite often providing much of the labour on the farms.
The society’s Vice-chairperson, Sam Too, commended the large turnout of members at the educational meeting, saying the forum had positively contributed to efforts to address the farmers’ perennial challenges.
He pledged to organise more grassroots forums where farmers would be trained by experts on modern farming techniques to help them maximise yields and increase their incomes.
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