Dairy farmers in Kisii, Nyamira and Gucha districts earned a total of Sh3.5 billion from 180 million litres of milk they produced last year.Much of the milk was delivered to the new Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC) while the rest was consumed locally.Speaking in Kisii, Livestock and Fisheries Development minister, Mr Joseph Munyao, advised the farmers to adopt intensive production systems of zero grazing to overcome the hurdles of land depletion and enhance milk production. The farmers also delivered 3, 027 tonnes of beef valued at Sh395 million, 185 tonnes of mutton worth Sh26 million.

Munyao said the livestock sector was playing an important role in the development of Gusiiland and the national economy, accounting for ten per cent of the total GDP and 40 per cent of agricultural production.

He said despite lack of adequate land in the larger Kisii, livestock sub-sector had continued to grow significantly with over 146,000 zebu cattle, 159,000 dairy cattle, 49,000 sheep, 84,000 goats and about one million chickens being reared in the region. However, the minister lamented that diminishing land size is threatening agricultural and livestock production in the area.

He said a survey jointly carried out by ministries of agriculture and livestock revealed that increased human population, with the resultant sub-division of land, had reduced farm size to one hectare on average. The region has about 10,000 farm holdings, with an average farm size of one hectare.This, he said had forced livestock farmers to venture into zero grazing despite the fact that a large portion of local cattle is indigenous whose productivity can not be maximised by this method.

branch show at Gusii Stadium on Saturday, Munyao said his ministry was revamping and streamlining marketing and processing organisations. In line with this, the minister said coffee farmers in fours districts in Nyanza where the crop is grown have been given Sh5 million to revive the sub sector. The monies channelled through the Coffee Development Fund will benefit farmers in Kisii, Nyamira, and Gucha at Sh4.5 million while those in Rachuonyo will receive Sh0.5 million.He said the Government was investing heavily in infrastructure and especially in road rehabilitation and construction so as to fast track a vibrant agricultural sector by providing a link from farming areas to markets and processing factories.

Kisii is one of most densely populated districts in Nyanza Province, with an estimated 700,000 people and a density of 600 persons per square kilometre. Munyao said there is an urgent need for concerted efforts to be focused on improved livestock and crop production through modern farming techniques. Constraints include high cost of farm inputs, lack of good quality breeding stock, inadequate breeding services both artificial insemination and bull services and livestock diseases.

The minister said the Government has initiated projects aimed at developing institutional and financial mechanisms to allow farmers access to extension and research services.The initiatives being implemented in line with Millennium Development Goals include the Kenya Agricultural Productivity Project, institutions such as the Kenya Meat Commission, Agricultural Finance Corporation and the Kenya Co-operatives project, which has so far spent Sh12 million in Gucha District.Other projects include the Swedish International Development Agency and Government funded Nalep at Sh4.3 million, which embraces the policy of demand driven extension with enhanced stakeholder participation for efficient service delivery.

The Gusii region has also benefited from the Sh7.4 million smallholder commercialisation project, which is focused at promoting smallholder dairy farming among others, said the minister.