10/09/2026
๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ฒ๐โ๐ฌ ๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐
๐จ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐
High feed costs, seasonal fodder shortages and unreliable markets continue to constrain dairy productivity, but these same challenges are creating new opportunities for young people to build businesses that serve the dairy sector.
Sylvanus Ikaara is a young fodder entrepreneur in Rongai Constituency, Nakuru County, who sees an opportunity in supplying dairy farmers with the fodder they need to keep their animals productive. But turning that opportunity into a viable business comes with its own challenges.
โThe biggest challenge as a young person is the absence of collateral when seeking loans. At times, people do not take your initiative seriously when you are looking for land to start,โ Sylvanus says.
Indeed, recent findings from Heifer International Kenyaโs Dairy Market Systems Gap Analysis identified limited access to land and start-up capital as key barriers for young people seeking to establish commercially viable dairy enterprises. Feed and fodder also remain persistent challenges across the sector, particularly high costs, seasonal shortages, inconsistent quality and weak commercialization.
At his Rafiki Farm, in Kabarak, Soin Ward, Sylvanus selects fodder varieties suited to Nakuruโs ecological conditions, uses animal manure to retain soil moisture, and works with mechanization service providers for baling and silage making.
But producing and storing fodder is only part of the business. Prices fluctuate across seasons and locations, while demand rises during dry periods. Sylvanus uses digital marketing, industry networks and direct engagement with dairy cooperatives to find buyers and build more reliable market relationships.
โCurrently, there exists a symbiotic relationship between my enterprise and dairy cooperatives that ensures both our survival,โ he says.
Through the Transforming Yield through Feed and Fodder Access in Dairy (TYFFAD) Project, Heifer International Kenya, in partnership with ILRI, KALRO, county governments, farmer organizations and private-sector actors, is addressing these challenges through mechanization, climate-smart fodder production, innovative financing and stronger market linkages. The project specifically seeks to expand opportunities for youth as fodder entrepreneurs, aggregators and service providers, while strengthening access to affordable, quality feed and building sustainable and inclusive dairy feed systems.
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