KENYA – Kenya is set to undertake a significant transformation in its dairy sector with the introduction of the Dairy Industry Bill 2024, which seeks to establish a new regulatory body, the Kenya Dairy Authority (KDA).
The move is set to replace the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB), which has been responsible for regulating and ensuring compliance to dairy standards and safety requirements since its inception in 1958.
The proposed Dairy Industry Bill 2024 envisions the KDA as the primary governmental authority responsible for overseeing and enhancing the dairy sector.
The new Authority will be charged with a broad mandate, including the regulation of dairy industry activities, ensuring the safety and quality of dairy products, and fostering both domestic and international trade.
The KDA will also be responsible for collecting and analyzing data within the sector to support a sustainable and competitive dairy industry.
The KDA will have a governance structure that includes a Board consisting of a chairperson appointed by the President, four representatives from primary dairy producers, two dairy business operators, and several government officials.
These officials will include the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee, and the Director-General, who will serve as an ex-officio member.
The KDA’s role will involve inspecting and issuing permits to dairy business operators, conducting surveillance to ensure compliance with safety standards, and facilitating trade across the dairy value chain.
These activities aim to protect consumers and promote the sector’s growth by addressing key regulatory and operational challenges.
The dairy subsector is crucial to Kenya’s economy, contributing approximately 4% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supporting over 1.8 million smallholder farmers. It also plays a significant role in the country’s food security and nutritional framework.
According to recent data from the Kenya Dairy Board, Kenya’s dairy sector produced 4.6 billion liters of milk last year. With favorable weather conditions anticipated for 2024, milk production volumes are expected to rise further.
Kenya’s high per capita milk consumption rate underscores its importance in the regional dairy market. To ensure the sector’s continued growth and sustainability, the government has launched the Kenya Dairy Industry Sustainability Roadmap 2023-2032.
This strategic framework is designed to guide the development of the dairy sector, aiming to enhance production efficiency and market competitiveness while addressing the challenges faced by the industry.
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