Role of Producer Organizations in Improving Milk Production and Safety among Dairy Farmers in South Imenti, Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

To determine the role of producer organizations (PO) in improving milk production and safety among dairy farmers the study was anchored on cross-sectional research design, relevant data was collected on identified variables between October and November 2018. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select the sample of 282 dairy farmers (182 PO members and 100 non-members) in South Imenti sub-county, Meru County, Kenya and the data was analyzed using SPSS and STATA. From the descriptive and independent sample t-tests results there was statistically significant difference in milk production of dairy farmers as well as difference in performance of producer organizations in South Imenti sub-county. The average annual quantity of milk (8207 litres) produced by members was twice that produced by non-members (4099 litres). Poisson regression results also indicated that producer group membership had a positive and significant influence on farm-level implementation of milk hygiene strategies. Further, Probit regression results identified institutional factors, including access to credit, distance to milk collection centres, and milk prices as the most crucial factors that positively influenced membership in producer organizations. Superior animal breeds and hours spent on dairy production activities encouraged membership and enhanced milk production. Endogenous switching regression results revealed positive and significant effects of producer organizations on actual and counterfactual scenarios for both members and non-members. Therefore, dairy farmers experiencing technical difficulties should be targeted and encouraged to participate in PO (e.g. dairy cooperatives) to develop their capacity on milk production and safeguarding milk quality and safety standards to improve the performance of dairy enterprises. Moreover, the capacity and capability of already existing producer organizations and other like-minded organizations should be strengthened to deliver training, extension, and education to technically challenged smallholder dairy farmers.