Brookside Dairy rewards farmers for quality milk supply

KENYA – Dairy farmers contracted by Kenyan dairy processor Brookside Dairy Limited have received Kes 218 million(US$1.6 million) in the half-year to May under a scheme that rewards producers for milk quality and surpassing supply targets.

The payout, representing a 54% jump over previous years, benefits dairy groups and individual farmers across the country who signed up for the program and supplied raw milk to the company during the six months ending May 2024.

“The beneficiary farmer groups and individual suppliers signed up for our reward scheme and were given raw milk supply targets for both quantity and quality,” said Emmanuel Kabaki, Brookside’s General Manager for milk procurement.

“We are rewarding these farmers as a recognition of their hard work over the six months.”

Brookside initiated the Farmer’s Reward scheme six years ago, seeking to reward raw milk suppliers for their critical role in the upstream phase of the dairy value chain.

The processor has also been working with farmers to establish fodder for dairy cows and to improve breed genetics through support with semen straws.

It has also engaged farmers in afforestation initiatives to ensure sustainable dairy production through increased tree cover.

Earlier this month, the company also announced plans to improve its sustainability-linked investments in the dairy value chain by partnering with farmers to boost its product’s safety and nutrition standards.

According to Kabaki, the planned initiatives include incorporating sustainable agronomic practices, such as agroforestry, and using biogas as a clean energy source to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This comes just after the company received endorsement from the Kenya Nutritionist and Dietician Institute for its Brookside Plus range.

The endorsed products included lactose-free, low-fat, probiotic yogurt, vitamin A and D-fortified milk, and vitamin A and fibre-enriched products.

In addition, the Kenya Bureau of Standards honored Brookside Dairy Limited for its commitment to high-quality products and food safety as it acquired the Kebs Mark of Quality Excellence and the Diamond Mark of Quality for its milk products.

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