Climate and efficiency gains in dairy systems:
Pilot project
Luke Kessei
State Department of Livestock, Kenya
CLEANED Project East Africa Stakeholder Consultation on Dairy and
Environment Nairobi, Kenya, 18 September 2013

INTRODUCTION
• The agriculture sector, including livestock, is
highly vulnerable to climate change
• The sector is responsible for about 30 per cent
of Kenya’s GHG emissions as in 2010
• 90 per cent of these emissions are generated
by the livestock sub-sector.
NCCAP, MARCH 2013

Carbon and nitrogen flows on livestock farms
e
Feeding
strategy and
additives
Livestock
Landscape
design
Soils
Agro ecology
Manure
Manure
treatment
Feed
Export in meat/milk
Emissions (CH4,NH3,N03,N20)
Treatment
(bioenery, composting)
Emissions
(CO2, NH3, NO3, NO2)
Fertiliser
(CO2, N2O)
Import
(CO2,N2O)
Emissions
(CH4)
Gerber, P. et al.

Current position of Dairy sub-sector
• Kenya has an estimated herd of 3.5 million improved dairy animals
• National milk output has risen progressively from 2.8 billion litres in
2002 to 5.2 billion in 2011.
• Contributes approximately 4% of Kenya’s GDP.
• Source of income and employment to over 1.8 million smallholder
dairy farmers.
• Additionally creates upto 500,000 direct jobs along the value chain
and a further 750,000 in related support services.
• Cattle account for 88% of the milk produced while camel and goat
account for the rest
• The country also has the highest per capita consumption of milk in
the African continent (120 lts/person/annum)

PURPOSE OF PROJECT
• To increase dairy productivity which leads
to reduction in GHGE intensity
• Generation of carbon credit that will be
linked to carbon trade mechanism.

OBJECTIVE
• To enhance farmers income and food security
• To develop a pilot project and methodology
that can inform the development of a dairy
industry NAMA in Kenya
• To provide technical support for the
development of technologies that link
productivity gains to verifiable emission
reductions in smallholder dairy production
systems.

PROJECT CONCEPT
• High-yielding animals producing more milk
per lactation generally exhibit lower emission
intensities per unit of milk
• Reasons:
 Emissions are spread over more units of milk.
Productivity gains are often achieved through the
improved practices (Feeds, Genetics, Herd health)
Productivity gains reduces standing biomass per
unit of milk produced.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRODUCTIVITY &
EMISSION INTENSITY OF MILK

ACHIEVEMENTS
• Stakeholders identified and sensitized
• Project site screening & identification done
-Nandi(Nandi North)
-UasinGishu (Wareng)
- Elgeyo Marakwet (Keiyo South)
• Technical working group constituted
• Baseline study undertaken
• Methodology development on - going

EXPECTED OUTPUT/OUTCOMES
• Stakeholders identified and sensitized
• Baseline report
• Methodology development
• Carbon accounting system developed & in
use
• Technology transfer

CHALLENGES
• Data collection:
– limited records at farmer level
– many small-holders and geo-graphically dispersed
• Milk yield as an indicator of GHG intensity
• Monitoring trade-offs from project objectives:
– Profitability
– Risk
– Other environmental impacts

WAY FORWARD
• Methodology to be drafted by the end of this
year
• Standard finalized over the first half of 2014
• Engage buyers and commence interventions

COLLABORATING AGENCIES
• MOAL&F
• FAO
• ILRI
• CONSULTING AGENCY(UNIQUE)

THE END
Thank You!