Nairobi, Kenya, Dec 9 – Sidai Africa Limited, a newly established social enterprise, has unveiled plans to roll out full scale livestock service centers across Kenya.
The ultra-modern centers will offer a wide range of veterinary services and quality products to livestock farmers, through a strategy that will promote preventive herd and flock health care in different parts of Kenya, including the marginalised Arid and Semi Arid Lands.
At a media briefing, Sidai Africa Managing Director Anthony Wainaina said that the company had so far rolled out 16 Sidai franchises in North Rift, North Eastern Province, Kajiado and Narok.
“Through these franchises, we are not only creating a link for small scale farmers but going the extra mile by offering other quality extension services necessary to raise healthy and productive livestock”, he said.
The company targets to open up 150 livestock service centers by 2015, with an initial focus on areas that have traditionally failed to attract professional veterinary extension services.
These centers, which will operate as Sidai franchises, will create a strong support system that ultimately enables livestock farmers to increase their yields and gain better returns.
The Sidai model seeks to transform livestock farming, by giving farmers a more interactive platform, access to competitively priced quality inputs and appropriate business linkages.
It seeks to create a supportive framework that will make livestock farming a rewarding venture. Small scale farmers contribute significantly; within the dairy sector alone, their productions collectively account for more than 85 percent of milk deliveries to processors.
Speaking at the launch of Sidai Africa, Patrick Maina, and Chief Executive of the Kenya Livestock Producers Association said that local farmers stood to gain immensely from the structured and streamlined services.
“For a long time, local farmers have only had limited access to veterinary services. With the entry of Sidai Africa, we are confident that farmers countrywide will now gain immensely in practical terms”, he said.
The franchised outlets will operate under the Sidai brand will be owned and staffed by competent veterinarians and livestock technicians. Sidai Africa will vet all products to ensure that only those meeting defined criteria of production standards are stocked. So far, the company has entered into partnerships with Coopers Kenya, Unga Feeds, Twiga Chemicals, Ultravetis and Kenchic.
