08/05/2026
Transforming Dairy from the Ground Up: The Critical Role of Feed and Fodder Systems
Across Kenyaโs dairy and livestock sector, few issues shape productivity, incomes, and resilience more than feed and fodder systems. Discussions during the launch of the Transforming Yield through Feed and Fodder Access in Dairy (TYFFAD) project showed that feed is far more than a technical input. It determines whether farmers can sustain production, whether cooperatives can maintain stable supply, and whether livestock systems can withstand increasingly unpredictable seasons.
Stakeholders from across the livestock ecosystem explored pathways toward stronger and more resilient feed systems, with one message emerging clearly: the challenge is not simply about production, but about how the wider system functions.
Feed accounts for between 60 and 80 per cent of dairy production costs, while Kenya continues to face a growing feed deficit and major post-harvest losses that affect milk yields, farmer incomes, and sector competitiveness.
From the producer side, Waweru Nyangi, a fodder and dairy farmer from Nakuru, highlighted structural gaps affecting the fodder market. Seasonality, storage limitations, transport costs, and inconsistent quality standards continue to undermine supply and pricing. โFarmers have no storage facility on their farm basis,โ he noted. He also called for clearer standards, saying, โItโs high time we have the conversation that you talk of kilos, not the bales.โ
Njeri Gatheca of the Kenya Feed and Fodder Alliance (KEFFA) argued that fodder systems have historically been overlooked despite being central to livestock productivity. โFodder is the stepchild, has been forgotten,โ she observed, while emphasizing the need for sector-driven financing models. โWe want to finance our own challenges,โ she added.
The discussion reinforced that feed and fodder challenges sit at the intersection of productivity, markets, finance, climate resilience, and livelihoods, while practical solutions are already emerging across the sector.
Heifer International Africa Heifer International KALRO
