Milk turns clash-prone area into island of peace

A woman delivers milk to Lelan Dairies in Kapenguria. ISAIAH ESIPISU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • To enhance peace, according to chairman Kenneth Lomaipong, the company’s satellite cooling plants are managed by individuals from the opposite communities.
  • The Friesian bulls marked a turning point in terms of lifestyle and income-generation after about three years. The new breeds produced more milk than the indigenous animals, giving the residents appetite to convert all their cows into crossbreeds.
  • Few years ago, Cherengani Hills was a no-go-zone, particularly, on the boundary between the Pokot and Marakwet communities, says Raphael Limasha, the chairman of Setat Self-Help Group, which brings together 70 dairy farmers from the two communities.

The cold wind blows softly as the clock ticks towards 4pm in Kapsakar village on Cherengani Hills where Philip Losiwa’s home is located.

Seeds of Gold team finds Losiwa, who some years back was keeping indigenous cattle, supervising his two workers as they milk five pure Friesian dairy animals. 

It was the second milking, and Losiwa was expecting 90 litres of milk on this day, his average production, which is far better than 20 litres from over 60 indigenous breeds he owned in 1999.

“Cattle is our source of pride, but for many years, it was the cause of conflicts,” says Losiwa as he alluded to several incidents of cattle rustling that afflicted the region.

The residents are currently at peace with each other, and they have milk to thank for the transformation.

“Our focus is now on volumes of milk produced instead of the number of cattle one keeps,” says Losiwa.

Few years ago, Cherengani Hills was a no-go-zone, particularly, on the boundary between the Pokot and Marakwet communities, says Raphael Limasha, the chairman of Setat Self-Help Group, which brings together 70 dairy farmers from the two communities.

“Today we share a self-help group, and we have a central milk collection centre where farmers from the two communities take their milk.”

The turning point was in 1999, when both communities surrendered their guns to seek peace following a massacre and stock theft in 1998. Elders from both sides met and drafted a covenant to govern the two communities.

The agreement included a ban on any type of alcohol brewing, cigarette smoking in public, and idling in centres by the youth. It also provided penalties for those found guilty, particularly of stealing cattle.

“This indigenous legislation was a pointer to the right direction, though it may not have addressed the root cause of the conflict,” says Limasha, adding that the milk group that they formed with the help of ActionAid International Kenya, fully addressed the conflict.

The organisation donated 15 Friesian bulls to serve the indigenous cows from the communities.

The Friesian bulls marked a turning point in terms of lifestyle and income-generation after about three years. The new breeds produced more milk than the indigenous animals, giving the residents appetite to convert all their cows into crossbreeds.

This prompted members of Setat group to donate money to buy 15 more bulls to serve cows in the entire community. At the same time, they castrated all other indigenous bulls to avoid inferior progeny.

Today, nearly all the 3,000 households among the Marakwet and Pokot communities living around Cherengani Hills have switched to pure Friesian breeds.

This has stepped up the amount of milk produced on daily basis, forcing the self-help group to put up three collection centres fitted with coolers, from which it is sold to major processing companies that include Brookside Limited.

SATELITE COOLING PLANTS

To enhance peace, according to chairman Kenneth Lomaipong, the company’s satellite cooling plants are managed by individuals from the opposite communities.

The cooling plant in Tabach for example, which is within the Pokot region is managed by Thomas Kipyego, who hails from the Marakwet community.

Another cooling plant in Kipikof area within the Pokot region is managed by Joel Futer from the Marakwet community. Similarly, the cooling plant in Kaptalangwa region in Marakwet is managed by Benson Lingatukei, who is from the Pokot Community.

“We have tried our best to balance community representation for key positions in the company,” said Lomaipong, who is from the Pokot community, noting that his vice chair Paul Kiplagat is from the Marakwet community.

Each farmer has between two to 20 lactating animals, earning between Sh4,000 and Sh150,000 a month.

“We collect 14,500 litres of milk daily,” says Vincent Lopot, the treasurer of Setat Self-Help Group.

At a price of Sh30 a litre, the farmer earns about Sh63,000 a month, allowing him to educate his children and cater for other needs.

Following increased members and income, Setat group registered a company known as Lelan Highland Dairies, through which they collect their milk.

Each group member holds equal shares of Sh5,200 in the company. “For those who cannot raise the money at once, we allow them to pay Sh200 per month to become shareholders,” explains Lopot. The money is subtracted from the monthly payments for the milk delivered.

According to Philemon Chepasa, who is in-charge of finances and salaries, farmers earned Sh54 million in dividends in 2013, and the amount more than tripled last year to Sh161 million.

“We are planning to purchase more milk coolers,” says Philip Ruto, the company’s manager. Lelan serves 54 other groups within the Pokot and the Marakwet communities.