Nanyuki, Kenya| In a historic move poised to reshape the economic landscape of Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), Isiolo County is finalizing a comprehensive Camel Milk Strategy (2024–2034) that aims to transform camel milk from a traditional subsistence product into a thriving commercial industry and position the county as East Africa’s camel dairy powerhouse.
The ambitious decade-long blueprint, now in its final stages, was refined during an intensive two-day validation workshop held at Beisa Hotel in Nanyuki.
Organized by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) Isiolo County office under the USAID-funded TWENDE Project, in partnership with Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany (VSF-G) and Lay Volunteers International Association (LVIA), the forum brought together county executives, technical experts, cooperative leaders, camel herders, traders, processors, and development partners to chart a unified roadmap for the sector.
Why Camel Milk Matters More Than Ever in Isiolo
For generations, camel milk has been the lifeblood of pastoralist communities in Isiolo and across Kenya’s northern frontier.
Rich in nutrients, naturally suited to harsh climates, and with a longer shelf life than cow milk in high temperatures, camel milk provides food security, household income, and nutritional resilience for thousands of families facing recurrent drought.
Yet despite producing an estimated 300–340 million litres of camel milk annually across Kenya — with Isiolo among the top contributors — the sector has remained largely informal, constrained by inadequate cold-chain infrastructure, limited processing capacity, weak market linkages, and inconsistent quality standards.
The new strategy directly confronts these bottlenecks with a clear, actionable framework designed to modernize every link of the camel milk value chain.
Key Pillars of the 2024–2034 Camel Milk Strategy
The decade-long strategy rests on five interconnected pillars that address every weak link in the current value chain.
First, it prioritizes enhanced production and better herd management. This includes rolling out improved breeding programs, expanding access to veterinary services, promoting drought-resistant fodder production, and encouraging climate-smart pastoral practices that increase milk yields without degrading rangelands.
Second, the plan places heavy emphasis on processing, hygiene, and quality assurance. County-supported milk collection centres equipped with solar-powered cooling tanks will be established across key camel corridors.
Herders and traders will receive hands-on training in hygienic milking, handling, and storage, while all players in the chain will be required to meet Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) specifications.
Third, a major expansion of cold-chain infrastructure and logistics forms the backbone of the strategy.
Investments in refrigerated milk ATMs, insulated transport vehicles, and strategically located bulk cooling hubs will drastically reduce post-harvest losses and make it possible to deliver fresh camel milk to Nairobi, Mombasa, and coastal tourist hotels within hours rather than days.
Fourth, the strategy actively promotes value addition and product diversification. Through grants, technical assistance, and shared processing facilities, entrepreneurs—especially women and youth—will be supported to manufacture pasteurized camel milk, flavored and plain yogurt, traditional fermented milk (suusa), cheese, milk powder, and even camel-milk-based cosmetics and skincare products for premium domestic and export markets.
Finally, the plan focuses on building strong market access and creating a recognizable brand identity.
An “Isiolo Camel Milk” geographical indication label will be pursued, alongside aggressive participation in national and international trade fairs, digital marketing campaigns, e-commerce partnerships, and long-term supply agreements with supermarket chains, high-end hotels, and Middle Eastern importers.
Together, these five pillars aim to turn camel milk from a largely informal commodity into a professionally managed, high-value industry capable of generating sustainable wealth for Isiolo’s pastoralist communities over the next ten years.
Political and Technical Backing Signals Swift Implementation
Isiolo County Deputy Speaker Hon. David Lemantile, who officially closed the workshop, hailed the strategy as a game-changer:
“This is the moment we stop treating camel milk as just a survival food and start treating it as Isiolo’s flagship economic driver. With structured investment and regional cooperation, we can supply Nairobi, the coast, and even export to the Gulf within the next five years.”
Chief Officer for Livestock Production, Dr. Isaih Nakoru Epuri, reaffirmed the county government’s commitment to fast-track implementation:
“We are ready to support cooperatives with equipment, training, and revolving funds. The era of camel milk being sold in unhygienic plastic containers by the roadside is coming to an end.”
Representatives from women- and youth-led cooperatives expressed optimism that the strategy will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs while empowering marginalized groups who dominate milk marketing in pastoralist communities.
Next Steps: County Assembly Approval and Immediate Rollout
The finalized Camel Milk Strategy (2024–2034) will be tabled before the Isiolo County Assembly for adoption before the end of 2025.
Once approved, the county plans to establish a dedicated Camel Milk Development Unit under the Department of Livestock to coordinate implementation, monitoring, and resource mobilization.
Development partners, including NDMA, VSF-Germany, LVIA, and USAID, have pledged continued technical and financial support to kick-start priority interventions, particularly in cold-chain infrastructure and cooperative capacity building.
A Model for Africa’s Emerging Camel Dairy Economy
With global demand for camel milk surging — driven by its lactose-intolerance-friendly profile, perceived medicinal benefits, and premium pricing (often 3–5 times higher than cow milk), and sustainability credentials — Kenya is uniquely positioned to dominate the African market.
Isiolo’s proactive strategy places the county at the forefront of this emerging “white gold” revolution, offering a replicable model for other ASAL counties and neighboring countries such as Somalia and Ethiopia.
As one workshop participant put it:
“Cow milk had its century. The 21st century belongs to the camel.”
Isiolo County is now poised to prove it.
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