May 22, 2008

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), recently awarded $9 million over five years to Land O’Lakes International Development to improve the competitiveness of Kenya’s dairy sector.

Land O’Lakes will implement the Kenya Dairy Sector Competitiveness Program (KDSC) in the Central and Rift Valley regions of Kenya. The goal of the program is to increase smallholder household income from the sale of quality milk. The project will increase competitiveness of the Kenyan dairy sector resulting from collaboration among sector stakeholders, increase marketing of milk meeting quality standards of dairy farms and milk bulking groups, and provide greater access to market-linked business development services (BDS).

The KDSC Program will build on the successes of the Kenya Dairy Development Program (KDDP) previously implemented by Land O'Lakes International Development and its partners, African Breeders Service Ltd., Total Cattle Management International Livestock Research institute Ltd., and World Wide Sires Ltd. (2002-2008), in expanding demand for, and supply of, dairy-oriented business development services (BDS) by private firms. The Kenya Dairy Sector Competitiveness Project will better the industry’s links—from the farmer, to processing center, to packaging factory, to the market—thereby improving the industry’s competitiveness in local and export markets.

Recognizing the relationship between economic development and gender in Kenya, the program will ensure that the benefits of participation in the dairy sector reach both men and women. The program will also be keen to support the productive roles of the youth aged 15-24, who make up almost two-thirds of the Kenyan population.

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to implement the Kenya Dairy Sector Competitiveness Program on behalf of USAID and to continue to benefit stakeholders in the dairy industry and value chain,” said Tom Verdoorn, Vice President, International Development.