Youths take the lead in environment conservation

By David Kiarie

When a group of residents from Ririchua village of Sipili location in Laikipia West district came together one year ago, they had a sole intention of conserving a local dam.

The community wanted some of its own people to take care of the dam and therefore entrusted the youths with that responsibility.

 But after assuming their duty to man the water mass, Ririchua youth group realized that as members of the community, they could benefit more from the dam and decided to start horticultural farming within the expansive dam compound. 

The group secretary who also doubles up as the village elder Jonah Mbuthi said they started tree nurseries where they sowed vegetables and fruits and used the dam water to irrigate the nurseries.

“Besides watering our animals and fetching water for domestic use, we realized that we could use the dam to irrigate crops and so we planted vegetables that included cabbages, spinach and kales,” Mbuthi said during a ceremony to mark one year since the group was registered with the department of social services.

The group with a membership of close to 100 people also propagates tree seedlings and managed to produce over 7,000 tree of different species last year, which they distributed to eight local schools, the community, the Green belt movement and the group members. The trees included Cyprus, Eucalyptus, Gravellier, Bottlebrush and passion fruits.

The group is a member of Sipili community forest association {CFA} and advocates for tree planting and environmental conservation.

The members are undergoing training on climate change mitigation and adaptation by a local non-governmental organization, Tree is Life Trust.

Besides that, the fisheries department donated 1,000 fingerings of tilapia to the group. They however have not been able to harvest since the dam is about 15 feet deep and the group lacks fishing equipment like nets and a boat.

Lariak community forest association chairman Paul Nyutu said he would provide a boat and lifesaver jackets to the group whenever they want to harvest the already mature fish.

 This year, Mbuthi said the group plans to restock the dam with 1,000 fingerings of mudfish to check the population of tilapia fish at the dam.

Fisheries officer Muriithi Macharia also promised to provide the group with boats, lifesaver jackets and nets as well as equip them with fish farming skills.

They too intend to plant 50,000 trees including avocado, mangoes, red cinder and olive trees by the beginning of long rains in March and April this year.

“ We want to ensure that our village is well forested and we are glad the community is embracing the tree planting culture,” the group secretary said.

Other plans include buying a water pump, buying own piece of land, establishing a demonstration garden and getting training on grafting of fruit trees.

Individual members of the group are also encouraged to start poultry and goat rearing.

The group which enjoys the backing of different government departments like that of agriculture, livestock and the provincial administration has benefitted from technical skills and farm inputs like wheelbarrow, spades and watering cans from government organs.

A member of the Green Belt Movement from Sipili David Karanja who is also a member of ALIN’s Ng’arua Maarifa Centre focal group called on the community to conserve the environment saying climate change had negatively affected crop yields in the area.

“Last year we planted towards the month of June because the long rains which normally fall in March and April failed to come in time,” Karanja said.

A visiting stakeholder from Italy Fausto Gardumi who was accompanied by her schooling daughter Catelina Gardumi called on the residents to mitigate climate change saying the future of environment was in their own hands.

Another stakeholder from Somalia Saleeda Cali called for women participation in environment conservation saying their input in development matters in Africa cannot be under estimated.

On his part, Tree is life trust vice director Martin Mwangi said his organization is implementing climate change mitigation and adaptation project with 25 groups in both Laikipia and Nyandarua counties. 8 of the groups are from Laikipia.

Mwangi who recently visited Italy for an international training on development cooperation at the community, government and partners level said it was unfortunate that Kenya’s forest cover stands at 1.7 per cent against the internationally recommended standards of 10 per cent.

He said Italy has a forest cover of 48 per cent adding that Kenyans have a lot to borrow from the European country.

“If we use the available resources and opportunities, we have a chance to reverse the environment situation in Kenya,” said the TILT head.

He said while Laikipia county was arid and semi arid, there are plenty of resources and called on the residents to change their attitude and approach to environment and development issues.

“You should start by ensuring election of visionary leaders who have development issues at heart during the next general elections,” Mwangi advised.

Lariak community forest association chairman Paul Nyutu urged the community to conserve the neighbouring Lariak forest and avoid cutting down trees, use of power saws, burning charcoal and lighting fire especially during this dry period to avoid burning the forest.

Nyutu instead urged the locals to use alternative fuel like biogas and energy saving jikos, which have proved to be environment friendly.

Sipili livestock officer Peter Mukono said his ministry would teach fodder production to the group members. Mukono further cautioned them against Newcastle disease especially during this dry and dusty spell promising to teach the locals on immunization against the poultry disease.

The sipili divisional agricultural officer James Kamau advised the group to plant mango seedlings revealing that local farmers buy them all the way from Embu, in Eastern province with each seedling going for Ksh. 100.

“By the time the seedlings arrive here, some of them are wounded and as a result  do not survive after being planted,” he said advising the group to take advantage of the dam and the land around it to propagate mangoes for supply to the local farmers.

Kamau further advised the Ririchua youth group members to have their tree nursery registered with the government in order to ensure their products are certified and to enhance the market of the seedlings.

He also called on the locals to harvest rain water to use for irrigation during dry seasons.

Society urged to embrace persons with disabilities

By Ann Kinyanjui

In the world, we have different types of people with diverse abilities. Some are able bodied while others have different challenges. While some have hearing impairment, others are visually impaired and many others physically or mentally challenged.

I want us to focus on these challenges since many people have the notion that being challenged in one way or the other is synonymous to inability. Everyone in the world, the challenges not withstanding has an ability that God has given them.

I recently met a boy whom despite being on a wheel chair could write just like his fellow pupils. Joseph Kamau who joined class one at Sipili primary school in January this year uses his legs to write since his hands are impaired. 

When a book and a pen were placed on a table in front of him, Kamau picked the book with his toes and drew it closer to him. He flipped the cover and several pages to look for some empty space to write on before taking the pen and writing what was dictated to him effortlessly. He then returned the book on the table amidst both applause and shock from fellow pupils, teachers and parents who were present during the school’s class one intake exercise at the beginning of the term.

The staff and the pupils alike, some of whom knew the boy were amazed at his prowess in writing. What surprised them was the fact that his notes were neater than those of his able bodied colleagues.

We congratulate his mother for letting him interact with the society since majority of parents who have children with disabilities lock them up in their houses denying them not only their right to freedom, but also to education, good health and association. 

I also happened to meet Mr. Paul Hiuhu who has been teaching in Lariak Primary school for the deaf. He says his pupils have different talents with several of them possessing dressmaking, carpentry and other artisan talents.

What I came to learn is that disability is not inability and I would urge the society, the government and the development partners to embrace and support persons with disabilities who live among us by ensuring they have equal access and opportunities to resources, education, health and participation in public forums to enable them realize their full potential.

A stormy meeting on human wildlife conflict expected today at Wangwachi in sipili Ng’arua

By Wa Joe

A heated debate is expected today during a crisis meeting to discuss human-wildlife conflict in Laikipia West district.

The meeting which will be held at Wangwachi dam in Sipili, Ng’arua will bring together hundreds of residents from Sipili division and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers who will be trying to seek a solution to a series of human-wildlife conflict cases that have occurred for the last several years. 

The meeting follows a spate of attacks on residents by wild animals including elephants and lions. Last year, a woman aged about 40 years was devoured by a lion which attacked her as she was fetching water at the dam. Residents claimed the man eater lion was hungry since it was lactating.

Another elderly woman was trampled on by an elephant at Mwenje village a few kilometers from Wangwachi during last year’s Christmas season.

And as if that was not enough, and just before the dust had settled, a herd of elephants broke out of a nearby private conservancy and flocked into the residents’ farms near Nyakinyua primary school in Kiriko area where they spent the better part of the day destroying many acres of maize fields.

Game rangers from Nyahururu KWS station killed two of them giving the residents a chance to feast on them.

Today’s meeting will also be attended by the provincial administrators, heads of relevant government departments like agriculture, forest and livestock.

The meeting seeks to among others resolve the issue of re-erecting an electric fence round the neighbouring forest which was destroyed by wild animals. 

The fence which is powered by solar had been erected along the Laikipia Ranch forest line several years ago to keep off wild animals from the residential area. 

However, the lines were cut off by wild animals and the ranch management failed to repair the damaged areas in time exposing the residents to the beasts which include cats and elephants.

Just like human beings, wild animals keep off the electric line for fear of electrocution or electric shock but this does not deter them from attempting to cross over the fence.  So whenever the conservancy managers fail or forget to witch on the power in case they had switched it off for whatever reason, the wild animals break out of the ranch towards the villages where they eat livestock, destroy crops and worse still attack people leaving them dead or seriously injured if they are lucky.

The residents had earlier called for another meeting sometimes at the end of October last year where they discussed the issues at length with the District Game Wardens and other senior KWS officers. 

The problem however seem to recur and a permanent solution is what the residents are yearning for.

Carrying liquid or solid money? The security query technology seeks to answer

By Ann Kinyanjui

Money is a necessity through out the world. That is why people move up and down doing or searching for jobs while others try out different businesses in order to earn some cash.

Although money is used in our day to day life, people try to save as much as they can for the future. There are several ways of keeping and carrying money. They include depositing in financial institutions, individual mobile phone accounts, and credit and debit cards or even carrying it in ones pockets or keeping it under a mattress.

The issue of security both for the money and the owner then arises and this is where technology comes in. 

I was following a discussion between two of my colleague teachers Thairu and Songoi of Sipili primary school. The two had a heated debate on how money should be kept and carried.

After the lengthy discussion over several cups of tea, save for the cold evenings in Laikipia, the two concurred that soon people will no longer be carrying notes or coins with them. 

Instead, they will be carrying credit and debit cards, automated teller machine (ATM) cards or at least have the money deposited in their mobile phone money transfer accounts.

This will enhance peoples’ security and the safety of their money as they will only need to carry with them a card or a mobile phone as they go for shopping, travelling, office or any other place, thanks to the ever advancing technology. 

This will be a wonderful move and I can’t wait to see it fully operational with the total population especially in the developing countries like ours having embraced the much needed technology.  

The role of education and skill building in the community

By Mbuthi Jeremiah


Education for the youths especially in rural areas has its role in preparing them for basic academic and perhaps trade skills.

Mentorship clearly builds needed trade skills. If modest amount of cash and land can be combined with a bit of agricultural skills in a temperate climate, it can give way to modest societal wealth.

As has been mentioned, education for women will allow for reduced family size, an important poverty reduction method in its own right.

While all components mentioned above are necessary, the portion of education pertaining to the variety of skills is needed to build and maintain the infrastructure of a developing society.

Building, plumbing, electrician, sinking wells, farming, transport and mechanical skills among others courses are clear needs among many people especially the youth, if the society is to move out of its state of poverty or survival.

Yet, many developed western economies are moving strongly away from the essential apprenticeships and training on skills, which offer a clear vocational path out of modern rural poverty.

Let the community inhabit job creation and self empowerment rather than just rush for scarce employment opportunities. 

Valentines; Lovers’ day

By Ann Kinyanjui

Valentines is considered a very important day especially for those in love or for people who are close to each other. Many people refer to it as ‘Siku ya Wapendanao’ Swahili for lovers day.

Take a walk in your neighbourhood today and you will realize a good number of people in red. When you ask them why, their reaction will be like “today is Valentines Day don’t you know?” But if you probe them to tell you how the famous day came to be, very few of them will be in a position to explain.

Today I know many especially the young people, otherwise referred to, as the ‘dot coms’ will be buying presents for their lovers and friends. Those who happen to be single are possibly searching for friends through social networks on the internet.

Supposing I was a man, this is how I would make my lover happy and joyous on a big day like today. Since she would be expecting something from me in form of a gift or at least a card during Valentines, I would organize for a meal that she likes most, buy her a present, and then I welcome her to share the meal a day or two prior to the D day.

As we enjoy ourselves, I would then surprise her with the present. She would obviously be shocked since her expectations were that she would not receive a gift anytime before Valentine’s day, but still feel happy because the present has come her way. I would then use the Valentine day to take her for an outing and I know she would really enjoy.

Many people have been waiting for the day. Just look for ways that will make your partner happy. If you do not have one, put more effort, you might get one. If you will not be lucky enough to get one by the end of the day, take heart, there is always another time and who knows you might be lucky during next year’s Valentines day.

I wish you all a happy and joyous Valentine’s day.

Farmers tipped on market access and linkages

By David Kiarie

As a way of doing away with brokers who have for a long time been exploiting farmers, Arid Lands Information Network, a non governmental organization working towards improving access to knowledge for arid land communities in East Africa, has embarked on a training geared to liberate farmers from middle men and link them with major markets.

The ongoing training has so far seen over 100 farmers from across Ng’arua area enlightened on availability of markets for their produce.

In several instances during the market access trainings, farmers were shocked to learn that they could earn higher proceeds from the various crops they produce.

Recently over 30 farmers who met at Sipili catholic hall were tipped on ensuring good quality for their produce right from the planting through to harvesting.

During the training, farmers shared the challenges they face in production and marketing of their produce including availability and cost of farm inputs, pests and disease control and access to sustainable markets.

A marketing consultant Mr. Fanuell Lubanga advised farmers to ensure good quality of their produce in order to have guarantee of fetching high proceeds and to win the confidence of the market.

“Quality and price have to go hand in hand and the only way you can get good value for your crops is by ensuring good quality,” Lubanga advised.

The farmers were also sensitized on post harvest practices including storage, packaging and transportation.

Lily Lang’at of Horticultural Crop Development Authority (HCDA), a state corporation established to facilitate development, promotion, coordination and regulation of the horticulture industry in Kenya, gave the farmers detailed information on horticulture production.

Lang’at told the farmers that her corporation had formed Producer Marketing Organizations (P.M.O) in various parts of the country, where farmers were being trained and enabled to access market for their produce.

The groups she said would help in encouraging increase in crop production and enhance bargaining power for their produce.

She said they encourage contract farming where buyers and farmers enter formal agreement before production of crops to ensure market guarantee especially for specialized or export crops.

Farmers in Ng’arua grow avocado, citrus, oranges, passion, pineapples, watermelons, tomatoes, pumpkins among other horticultural crops.

The farmers were also trained on marketing of passion fruits and maize whose supply is currently high in the area.

They appealed for extensive training on production and marketing including field visits for demonstrations to ensure good quality of their crops from the time of planting through to harvesting.

Also in attendance were an officer with a farm produce export company, East African Growers, Stanley Njuguna and agricultural officers Elcy Kigano, Noah Koinet and Samuel Muriithi.

ALIN’s Deputy Director Anthony Mugo advised farmers to take advantage of the information found at Ng’arua Maarifa Centre packaged in literature and audio visual materials in order to gain knowledge on the various issues including agriculture for the purpose of improving their livelihood.

“We have a lot of information on books, magazines, video and the internet at the maarifa centre but if you do not access it, it will be of no benefit to you,” Mugo said.

Man stabs brother to death in Sipili

By David Kiarie and Maureen Kiarahu

A youthful man from Ririchua village in Sipili division died this morning following a fight with his brother.

The man who was only identified as Morgan is said to have succumbed to serious injuries inflicted on his body with a knife by his younger brother during the quarrel.

According to reliable sources in the village, the deceased in his mid 20s picked a quarrel with his brother on Sunday night after he and his mother demanded to know where his younger brother had spent on Saturday night.

The assailant is said to have been irritated by repeated questions from both his mother and the elder brother and started exchanging bitter words with the two.

As the family quarrel continued, the assailant dashed for a kitchen knife and stabbed his brother on the ribs and on the hand as the mother watched helplessly.

The deceased was then rushed to a health facility in Sipili where his wounds were dressed before being referred to Nyahururu district hospital for specialized treatment.

 He however succumbed to the injuries few hours after being admitted at the hospital.

Laikipia Rural Voices could not establish whether the assailant had been arrested by the time of publishing this story.

Man lynched in Sipili for stealing maize

By David Kiarie

A youthful man was on Friday night lynched by an angry mob from Karungubii village in Sipili location after he was caught stealing maize from a neighbour.

Villages troop to a scene at Karungubii in Sipili to view charred remains
of a thug who was touched for stealing maize.

The man who was only identified as Peter was beaten senseless by the irate villagers before setting him on fire less than 500 metres from his home.

Eyewitnesses told Laikipia Rural Voices that the man in his mid 30s was caught carrying a bag of maize which he had hid in a thicket earlier in the day.

According to a neighbour, Charles Gitau, the man had stolen five bags of unthreshed maize from a store belonging to Maina Kahu earlier in the day and hid the bags in a bushy area a few meters from Kihu’s homestead where he would pick them latter under the cover of darkness.

When night fell, the deceased went for his loot. But unknown to him, the owner of the maize and several other villagers had discovered the stolen bags of maize and decided to leave them untouched and instead wait for whoever would come to pick them.

At around 11.00 pm, the thug emerged from the bush and went ahead to collect the bags of maize. But barely before he would move about ten metres, the irate villagers who were armed to the teeth descended on him beating him senseless before setting him on fire.

When we visited the scene yesterday morning, tens of villagers were milling at the area to catch a glimpse of the remains of the thug whom they said has been terrorizing them for years.

Kahu said the thug could have stolen more maize saying he had noted that the level of his maize in the store was reducing although he had not known who was responsible.

Another resident Lucy Kihara said she lost more than a dozen bags of maize, some beans and maize flour which she had kept in her store to the village thieves.

“Thugs raided my home twice in less than a month when I had taken my child to a nearby clinic and swept all the food that I had stored. I do not even know what I will feed my children on,” said the mother of four.

The deceased is said to be a criminal who has served over one year in jail after he was convicted of stealing a neigbours cow.

The residents say a week hardly passes before a theft case is reported in the village and vowed to clean up the village by apprehending all people with wanting character.

Police urged to beef up security in Wangwachi following cattle theft

 By Susan Ndung’u

Over 100 residents of Karungubii area in Wangwachi location have petitioned the government to beef up security following a spate of robberies in the remote village of Sipili division in Laikipia west district.

The residents say they have been attacked twice in less than two weeks by thugs who stole three cows from two homesteads.

In the first incident, they told Laikipia Rural Voices, that the robbers raided the home of Peter Gicharu at night and stole his cow.

“Mr. Gichuru and his family was shocked to find one of his cows missing one morning and wondered how the thugs sneaked into their compound unnoticed,” said a villager from Wangwachi.

They said even after reporting the matter to police at Sipili post, no action was taken. A few days latter the robbers struck again stealing two cows in the same village.

Joyce Muringi, the owner of the cattle also reported the case to the police but still no action was taken.

“My question is, where shall we get help from? And for how long shall we live in a state of fear? Does it mean that farmers from Wangwachi will not rear keep livestock?” posed an angry resident.

The residents are now calling upon police and the provincial administration to ensure proper security measures to protect them from the robbers.

Civic leader demands audit of council funds

 By  K. Charles

The news of dire sanitary situations in Sipili township, was first picked and published by Laikipia Rural Voices; a web blog run by community journalist in the area.

That followed the closure of the only public toilet in Sipili by the public health officer. The news was read far and wide, on the internet and in the social media.

Following the news coverage and public outrage, the area Councillor Mr. Bernard Ndung'u, has written to the local government minister Musalia Mudavadi calling for an audit of the Laikipia county council funds.

The community reporters are working very closely with the public, to highlight issues relevant to the local development progress and would not keep quiet when things are not going in the right direction.

 The social media is playing a critical role in promoting healthy debates and dialogue as people chart the way forward in matters of public affairs.

Livestock census set to kick off in Sipili

By David Kiarie

Livestock officers in Sipili division are planning to carry out a livestock census exercise for the next one month to help keep a record of all domestic animals in the area.

According to Sipili divisional livestock extension officer Peter Mukono, the exercise which will kick off in a few days time is meant to update the existing records of animals in the region to help them serve and farmers better.

“We want to know the potential of all animals in this region including pets like dogs and cats because this will help us know the farmers’ needs and assist us in prioritizing our work,” Mukono told Laikipia Rural voices.

He said the exercise would give the real picture indicating the areas with more animals than others and establish the reasons behind this.

The livestock officer said the current record of animals was compiled several years ago before Sipili was curved from Ngarua division.

“Our interest is to increase production of the various animals which include cattle, goats, sheep, rabbits, pigs, poultry and donkeys among others and so we shall endavour to protect them from diseases through training on disease  control, feeding and much more,” Mukono said.

Meanwhile, the department of livestock will be offering advisory services to farmers once a month in order to equip them with required information relating to animal farming

The services will be offered for a whole day at Kahuruko trading centre and at Sipili divisional headquarters. Farmers are urged to take advantage of the session in order to have their questions answered by livestock experts.

Agriculture ministry supplies fruit seedlings ahead of March/April rains

By David Kiarie

Farmers in Sipili division who intend to plant fruits in the coming rainy season have been asked to register with the ministry of agriculture.

The divisional home economics officer Elcy Kigano said the ministry would be supplying mangoes, citrus and avocado seedlings between January and April so that farmers can plant them during the coming long rains expected in March and April.

Kigano said each seedling will be sold at Ksh 100 and urged the farmers to seek the assistance of agricultural extension officers to help them in getting the required measurements.

She said the recommended spacing for mango trees is eight by eight metres from line to line while that of citrus is supposed to be five by five metres.

The spacing she said could also vary with that of mango trees being allowed to go upto nine by nine metres and six by six metres for citrus. The seedlings are supplied annually or biannually during planting seasons.

Kigano further advised farmers to prepare their land and dig holes at least a month earlier to ensure healthy trees.  

Welfare group marks 32 year of existence

By Bett Kipsang and David Kiarie

There was pomp and colour as a community welfare group from Sipili over marked 30 years of existence and services.

Members of Karungubii- Kiriko welfare group slaughtered a bull, which they feasted on to celebrate their success of over three decades.

According to a founder member Margaret Mwangi, who is also the group vice Chairman, the group started as a women only group in 1979 with it 11 followers.

Mwangi said members were contributing 50 cents each to buy household items like utensils and supporting one another during events like weddings, births and deaths.

Men then joined the group latter in1985 after realizing the potential the organization had .The membership of the group has since grown to 168 currently with registration being done per household.

 The welfare group is is well organized and the group has been keeping records in a ledger book bought back in 1982 for Ksh 8.

Members contribute Ksh 150 up from 50 cents, Ksh 2, 3,5 and 20, which they used to contribute in the 90s. The contribution is made whenever a member or his/her child is graduating with a university degree, whenever a young couple is wedding and incase of a death in the family a member. A total of Ksh 21,500 is given to the family in need.

“We want to encourage our children to take education seriously and pursue degree courses and we also want them to do weddings while they are still fresh from their parents home and not after staying together for sometime. That is why we contribute money as an incentive to encourage our youths,” said the group secretary Joseph Mwati.

When we visited the group that was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mwangi at Karungubii, more than 150 members were celebrating with songs, dance and thanksgiving prayers.

The group members then contributed more than four bags of maize which they donated to Sipili school for the deaf as a way of helping the needy people in the society.

 The group chairman Harrison Ngugi told Laikipia Rural Voices that the secret of their success is the high level of discipline they have managed to maintain where members adherence to set rules and guidelines.

 ‘‘We have seen groups come and go, but we have remained strong and united because all our members follow the group rules,’’ Ngugi said adding that for the past thirty years no member has flouted rules to warrant any disciplinary action.

The magic of naming places

By Wa Joe

Have you ever thought how places got their names?

It was until yesterday when I was curious to know how the various places got their names.

I talked to a reliable source, an elderly woman Mrs. Mariam Wanjiku Macharia from Kongoni village in Ndindika sub location, Kinamba location.

She told me of a village called Mihehu, Kikuyu for whispers. In the mid 1970’s, residents of their village used to brew illegal liquor known as busaa. It was illegal to brew or consume busaa and so the drinkers locked themselves in a house while conversing in whispers (mihehu)

A village like Karungubii in Sipili area means dark alleys in Kikuyu language and was used by residents to hide when consuming illegal brews during the colonial era.

Wanjiku did not stop at that, she also narrated about Gatirima area on your way to Nyuhururu from Kinamba. She told me that the white settler who inhabited the area had weak legs and hence the name Gatirima.

Take for instance Mwenje village in Kinamba location. The mzungu or white settler who inhabited the area in 1950’s had a bald head and residents referred to him as Mwenje which means one with a shaven head.

Dairy farmers from Muhotetu call for unity in a bid to fight cartels

By Waweru Kanja

Dairy farmers in Muhotetu division of Laikipia West District have been called upon to unite in order to have a voice in the market of their produce.

Speaking at Muhotetu township recently during a dairy farmers meeting, the farmers decried the diminishing prices of milk citing exploitation by milk processors.

Mr. Njoroge Maina, a dairy farmer from Chereta said that farmers were getting meager returns due to the increased cost of production.

“To produce one litre of milk, it costs me ksh. 22 and the milk processors are buying the litre at ksh. 23. This business is not viable” Maina said.

The farmers said all the milk processors have formed a cartel that was dictating prices to them leaving them helpless and exploited for lack of alternative market.

“A litre of fresh milk is going for ksh. 60 at the supermarket which is more than double the price the processors are buying from us” Another farmer Rose Chepkeboi said.

The over 700 farmers agreed to unite and register a cooperative society in order to articulate their needs effectively.

They said the society will give them a voice in the marketing of their produce and minimize cases of exploitation.

The farmers are now appealing to the government, financial institutions and the non-governmental organizations to help them in putting up cottage industries in order to add value to their milk.

They said one packet of 200 mililitres of yoghurt will fetch ksh. 10 more in profit and will uplift their economic standards.