State to build Sh100m dairy embryo plant

The government will set up a Sh100 million dairy embyo-transplant facility, Agriculture and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has said.

Mr Kiunjuri said the ministry targets to increase milk production and ultimately formal milk intake by an average of 100 million litres per annum for the next four years.

He was speaking during the fifth Annual Meru Dairy Farmers Field Day on Friday. He revealed that Liquid Nitrogen Plant, which will see the production of quality dairy cattle semen and embryo transplants will be set at Marimba livestock farm in Imenti South. 

The CS noted that the dairy sector is thriving - with an estimated 4.2 million dairy cattle producing approximately 3.9 billion liters of milk per year.

“This contributes an estimated Sh300 billion per year to the national GDP and is source of livelihood to an estimated 1.8 million smallholder farmers and provides employment to an estimated 750,000 direct jobs and 500,000 indirect jobs."

Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union, CEO Kenneth Gitonga asked the government to check on the quality of feeds and the farm inputs manufactured in the country.