The Standard on Saturday
Date: 11.07.2015
Page 22
Article size: 602 cm2
ColumnCM: 133.77
AVE: 307688.88
Former milk hawker sets
up a Sh50m dairy plant
ByBRIGIDCHEMWENO
A couple, in Ruiru, is setting up an
around the neighbourhood and the
young men who are in charge of vari­
ultra­modern dairy facility which will
city. My employer discovered this and
ous sections in the farm and 14 casu­
be one of a kind in Kenya. The struc­
e, which costs Sh50 million, will
dismissed me from my job," Njoroge
says. This was a blessing in disguise.
als who come depending on the work­
ioad.The milk produced at the farm is
include automation and mechanisa­
"I moved to Kiserian and rented a
sold in schools and restaurants with­
tion of dairy farming, Susan Mutu­
ri and Njoroge Muturi, the directors
of Tassels Dairy Farm in Ruiru, tell
house with a small compound which
in the town. They also sell dairy cows
could accommodate my two cows
at between Sh200,000 and Sh300,000.
which I had bought from my savings.
That time, insecurity had rocked Ki­
serian and many people relocated
to other areas. My landlord was very
Much as they have made it, their
mission is to transform the dairy
kind and he allowed me to rear my
cows in peace. Every time I got an ex­
dairy farming and start a generation of
dairy farmers. We believe we can rev­
olutionise the dairy industry through
Smart Harvestthe structure — an ul­
tra modern dairy facility — will be au­
tomated by April next year.
"There is no need to seek hi­tech
dairy services abroad because the fu­
rore is here. The facility is fabricated
nya and Africa. There are huge oppor­
tra coin, I bought a cow and slowly the
flock increased," he says.
While in Kiserian, he says, his day
would begin at 2am by going to Git­
tunities in dairy sector in Kenya. Ma­
hunguri to buy milk and sell in Nai­
ny Kenyans love milk but they know
robi and its environs. At 5pm, he
by locally available materials and will
revolutionise the dairy industry in Ke­
little about keeping cows," says Su­
would start making his way back to
san.
Kiserian to go look after his cows.
The dairy plant includes a ber­ It was during thai time he was hus­
eket milking machine (cutting­edge tiing that he met his wife, Susan,
milking systems that improves milk­
Coincidentally, Susan also had an
ing automation and simplify parlour interest in dairy farming and that it
management] which comes in many why it was easy to partner as a cou­
sizes from one cow unit to huge au­ ple. Two are better than one and once
industry in Kenya and beyond.
Susan says: "We want to modernise
modem technology and innovation."
Asa way to give back to the commu ­
nity, the Muturis visit various schools
in Kenya to offer farming tips to stu­
dents.
Njoroge says for the last three
years, Kenyatta University animal
husbandry students have been us­
ing the facility for practical lessons.
At the same time, farmers from as far
as Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Burundi
and Zanzibar visit the farm to learn
tomated parlours.
With such a capital­intensive proj­
they got married, they shared ideas
ect, one may assume that the Mutu­
ris have always had it easy. But it is
amazing how far they have come. It
and put their minds together which
best practice in dairy farming.
In April this year, the couple visited
saw their business blossom.
skills on dairy farming.
Through research on the In­
ternet, they learned how to
cess?
has taken hard work, resilience and
determination to be where they are.
From a milk hawker eleven years
ago, Njoroge is today a well­accom­
breed cows in a modern way,
"Al first, we knew little about run­
Israel to acquire more knowledge and
And what is the secret to their suc­
Keeping quality breeds and im­
proving them, disease control, quali­
ning a dairy empire but we did our ty feeds and adequate supply of water.
"It is important to collect grass
plished dairy farmer with 400 dairy research big time," says Njoroge.
cows and the upcoming state­of­art Thanks to their hard work, now their from areas free of parasites and in­
plant. The cows produce between one­acre farm in Ruiru is a beehive of clude mineral supplements in the ani­
6,000 and 12.000 litres of milk per activity since it has become a demon­ mals' diet. Our big secret is regular de­
day depending on their stages of de­
worming," Susan says.
stration farm.
velopment.
Rosy as it may seem, the couple
"After learning from us, most visit­ admits that there are challenges run­
How he started
ing farmers like to duplicate what they ning a dairy farm. The biggest is short­
After completing his secondary have seen in their farms. We allow age of feeds. To address that, they ad­
education, Njoroge says he wanted our artisans to help the farmers set vise dairy farmers to store plenty
to be self­reliant and secured employ­ up structures like ours. We are happy during bumper harvests.
ment in Githunguri as a herds boy. when young people visit our farm and
Advice to aspiring dairy farmers?
"I was employed by a husinesstnan in learn how we do our dairy farming,"
"One shouid not have a big farm
Susan says.
Githunguri and I used to look after his
to start dairy farming. They can start
cows. During low seasons when milk
small and grow. People should con­
Future plans
was scare, the price would go up. To
sider dairy farming as a journey and
The couple has employed six
meet that need, I would hawk milk
not a quick fix to make money," Su­
san says.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya
The Standard on Saturday
Date: 11.07.2015
Page 22
Article size: 602 cm2
ColumnCM: 133.77
AVE: 307688.88
ABOVE: directors of Tassels Dairy
Farm Susan Muturi and her
husband Njoroge Muturi at their
Ruiru farm.
LEFT: Former VP Kalonzo
Musyoka when he toured the
Muturis' farm, (photos, goveoi
ASUTSA/STANDAI..)]
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya
The Standard on Saturday
Date: 11.07.2015
Page 22
Article size: 602 cm2
ColumnCM: 133.77
AVE: 307688.88
Keeping quality breeds and and improving
them, disease control. Quality feeds and ad­
equate stipply of water.
"It is important to collect grass from areas
free from parasites and also include miner­
al supplements in their diet. We have regu­
lar de­worming in place which controls a
large percentage of diseases," Susan says.
She adds that economies of scale are Im­
portant in dairy business.
"One should not have a big farm to start
dairy farming. They can start small and
grow. People should consider dairy farming
as a journey and not a quick fixing to make
money..."
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya