Ruto’s buffalo milk suggestion: Can millions of wildebeests roaming Masai Mara also be used for milk?
President William Ruto has floated an unusual idea for easing Kenya’s milk shortage: water buffalo farming. But with milk prices biting into household budgets and a 500ml packet retailing at Ksh70, Kenyans may be forgiven for wondering whether the country should be looking for answers in the Masai Mara next. If water buffalo can help […]
President William Ruto has suggested using water buffalo to address Kenya's milk shortage, but the idea comes with significant challenges. While buffaloes can produce substantial quantities of milk, turning wildebeests into a reliable milk source is impractical due to their wild nature. The proposal, unveiled at the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Summit, raises numerous questions about the cost of acquiring the animals, their feed, water requirements, veterinary care, breeding, processing facilities, and distribution.
Importing animals to produce milk is not the same as making affordable milk readily available in shops. Instead of focusing on unconventional solutions, the government should prioritize urgent measures to address the supply chain issues affecting Kenyan households, such as improving existing dairy cows' production, reducing feed costs, and enhancing the movement of milk from farms to processors.
Written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
