The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding aimed at deepening collaboration to modernize Kenya’s dairy sector. The agreement focuses on joint research, institutional development, and capacity building to benefit millions of farmers, agribusinesses, and consumers.

Kenya’s dairy industry is the largest in East Africa, contributing 4% to the national GDP and 14% to agricultural GDP. With over 1.8 million households engaged and more than 700,000 jobs created, the sector is a cornerstone of rural livelihoods—driven primarily by smallholder farmers who produce the bulk of the country’s milk.

The signing ceremony, held on 12 September 2025 at ILRI’s Nairobi campus, brought together senior leadership from both institutions. They emphasized a systems-level approach—from farm to glass—to enhance production, processing, market access, and consumer awareness.

He highlighted opportunities for improvement in animal health, genetics, milk safety, and climate resilience. Acting KDB Managing Director William Kimutai Maritim echoed the sentiment, noting the partnership’s potential to formalize the informal dairy sector and unlock greater value addition.

Strategic Focus Areas

The partnership will prioritize:
Strengthening dairy food systems to ensure milk quality and safety
• Enhancing institutional and laboratory capacity for product assurance
• Communicating research findings to inform policy and regulatory frameworks

Spotlight on the MoreMilk Project

A key component of the collaboration is the ILRI-led MoreMilk: More Milk for Lives and Livelihoods in Kenya project. The initiative aims to increase access to safe, affordable, and high-quality milk by certifying informal milk traders and helping them transition into compliant, competitive enterprises.
The project also promotes gender inclusion, encouraging women’s participation and economic empowerment in the dairy value chain. Co-leads from ILRI and KDB described the first year of implementation as a learning curve, focused on aligning research protocols with policy innovation.

Research Insights: Market, Genetics, and Safety

ILRI experts shared insights into ongoing research:

• Market Access: Development economist Isabelle Baltenweck emphasized fair pricing mechanisms and the role of dairy cooperatives, while calling for targeted support to women and youth.
• Genetic Improvement: Senior scientist Gebregziabher Gebreyohannes stressed the need for accurate milk yield data to select disease-tolerant, high-yielding breeds. “More milk will come from the right cow,” he noted.
• Milk Safety: Epidemiologist Annie Cook highlighted the risks of milk-borne diseases like brucellosis and the importance of co-developing solutions with farmers. “Healthier animals mean more milk and more income,” she said.

Expanding the Collaboration

ILRI and KDB identified additional areas for joint action, including:
• Fodder quality and conservation
• Milk residue monitoring and risk-based inspection
• Capacity building for inter-lab testing
• Development of processing aids and feed safety protocols
• Knowledge management and dissemination