Kenya's Bio Food Joins USAID for $500K Milk Safety Program

Kenyan milk processor Bio Food Products has joined forces with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in a 79.9 million Kenyan shillings ($500,000) country-wide milk safety initiative. The two-year program aims to reduce aflatoxin contamination in milk by collaborating with small-holder farmers. Bio Food Products plans to use the initiative to boost milk production by offering above-average farm gate prices. With Kenya having the highest milk consumption per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, the initiative seeks to address the decline in marketed milk quantity attributed to fodder scarcity. The partnership aims to educate farmers on better livestock feeding practices, ensuring quality and safer milk production.

The collaboration comes at a crucial time when chemical contamination of milk in Kenya has been linked to health concerns, including a rise in cancer cases. The initiative, focusing on aflatoxin mitigation and health awareness, is anticipated to contribute to a healthier Kenya and increased agricultural productivity.