The county government has signed two Bills geared towards encouraging locals to venture into commercial dairy farming.
Governor Wycliffe Oparanya last week assented to the Kakamega Dairy Development Corporation (KDDC) Bill and County Trade and Markets Bill.
The KDDC law seeks to establish a legal backing for the dairy value-addition chain, and will also give way to the establishing of a corporation to coordinate activities in the sector.
“We cannot expect to make progress if over-reliance on sugarcane farming is allowed to continue," said Mr Oparanya.
The dairy corporation will create ready market for milk, promote research, implement and manage the One Cow Initiative.
The county has set up 12 Economic Dairy Farm Units in 11 county polytechnics and Bukura Agricultural Training College.
“The farms will act as the nucleus of the milk processing plant whose construction will commence in Malava in the next financial year. The 12 farms will produce 6,000 litres of milk per day,” said Oparanya.
The signed Trade and Markets Bill seeks to promote and regulate trade, provide a framework for the county government to enter into joint trade ventures with other partners, and promote economic development.
The new law seeks establishes a business park in every sub-county to fast-track development.
