NYERI, Kenya, Nov 19 – As milk farmers countrywide battle with low prices of their produce, a milk processing factory in Nyeri county has parternerd with a local university in produce coffee flavoured yoghurt.
In what is seen as an effort to market the products as one package, Mukurweiini Wakulima Cooperative Society in collaboration with Dedan Kimathi univesity have developed the product chirstenised “Royal coffee yoghurt.
Speaking during the launch of the product at Kimathi University, the society’s chairman Muhika Mutahi says that they came up with the product after realising that the two are the mainstay of the county famed more for premium coffee in the world market.
“We as society realised that farmers who suppy milk to us are also in coffee sector, so we approached the univesity who did research and came up with this product.This to us is a boost to our farmers who will be able to kill two birds with one stone since those who will buy milk will also be impressed by the best coffee in the world, ” said Mutahi.
Coffee grown in Nyeri county is regarded as prime and is bought by international coffee dealers.
On his part the University’s Vice Chancellor professor Ndirangu Kioni said that the development of the product is the institution’s contribution to ensure farming activities take a commercial shape in the region.
“We as insitution are involved not just in research and development of engineering equipments but also in coming up with innovative ways of commercialising agriculture in this region through such products,” said Koini.
Cabinet Secretary for Agricuture Peter Munya who was the chief guest of the occasion challenged univesities to assist goverment in coming up with new innovations that can spur Agribussiness.
“Univesities should be at the forefront of guiding farmers in exploiting their potential in the agricuture sector. Let us as a county not only help in spurring agricuture, but also in assisting farmers to migrate from selling raw products to finished goods that will fetch them high returns” said Munya.
Munya urged members of Parliament from tea growing areas to pass new regualtions to ensure that farmers benefit them.
Munya said that most of the farmers woes can be addressed through proper legistration and not marketing iniatitives adding that Senate money to trash the regulations is a big blow.
