At MKWDCS, we provide holistic support to women dairy farmers — from the cow to the market. Our services are designed to enhance productivity, create sustainable livelihoods, and promote economic empowerment.
Milk Collection, Handling & Marketing
What We Do:
We manage an organized system of milk collection, transportation, chilling, and marketing that ensures quality and timely delivery from smallholder farms to processors and consumers.
Milk Collection Centers
MKWDCS operates seven milk collection centers located in Oloililai 1 & 2, Ilkipirash, Oltarakwai, Nareto, Oleleshwa, and Osotua. These centers bring services closer to members, making it easier for women farmers to deliver their milk without traveling long distances. The centers also serve as community hubs, where farmers meet, interact, and share knowledge.
Daily Collection and Weighing
Every day, milk is bulked and carefully weighed at the collection centers. This process ensures accuracy, transparency, and fairness, allowing farmers to track their deliveries and earnings with confidence. By working collectively, members are able to pool resources, making their milk more valuable in bulk.
Safe Transport and Storage
Once collected, the milk is transported under safe and hygienic conditions to our chilling facilities in Bissil and Kajiado town. Proper storage preserves freshness and quality, meeting the high standards required by both local and national processors. This system ensures that members’ efforts are not lost through spoilage or contamination.
Fair Market Access
MKWDCS also takes the lead in negotiating fair prices with large processors such as the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (NKCC). By selling in bulk and representing members collectively, we ensure that farmers receive just compensation for their hard work, while also protecting them from exploitation by middlemen.
From farm to future — fresh milk being processed at our mini-plant, where quality meets innovation to bring safe, nutritious dairy products to our community.
Milk Chilling & Storage Solutions
Why It Matters:
Preserving milk quality is key. MKWDCS provides cold chain management to minimize spoilage and improve marketability.
Existing Chilling Centers
Currently, MKWDCS operates two chilling centers in partnership with the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (NKCC). These facilities play a critical role in maintaining the freshness and quality of milk collected from our members before it is transported to processors. The partnership ensures that our farmers’ milk meets market standards and remains competitive.
Expanding Cooling Capacity
To strengthen our operations and reduce dependence on external facilities, we plan to acquire and install our own milk coolers at every collection center. This step will bring chilling services closer to farmers, minimize losses caused by delays, and improve efficiency in handling increasing volumes of milk.
Building a Self-Reliant Cold Chain
Our long-term goal is to establish a fully self-reliant cold chain system managed by the cooperative. By owning and controlling the entire cooling process, we will guarantee quality assurance, cut operational costs, and create more value for our members. This independence will empower us to grow stronger as a cooperative while ensuring long-term sustainability.
Capacity Building & Member Training
With strong partners like We Effect and Agriterra, we offer regular training workshops and field demonstrations to improve members’ skills in:
Dairy Production & Best Practices
MKWDCS equips its members with the knowledge and skills needed to improve milk yields and quality. Farmers are trained on modern animal husbandry, feed management, disease control, and hygienic handling of milk. By adopting these best practices, members increase productivity while ensuring their dairy products meet market standards.
Cooperative Governance & Leadership
Strong governance is at the heart of our success. We train members on cooperative principles, leadership, and accountability to ensure that decisions are democratic and transparent. By encouraging active participation, we empower women farmers to take leadership roles and shape the future of the cooperative.
Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment
We are committed to promoting gender equality by giving women equal opportunities to thrive in the dairy value chain. Through training, advocacy, and leadership development, women gain the confidence and skills needed to make key decisions both at home and within the cooperative. This empowerment creates ripple effects that uplift entire communities.
Financial Literacy & Savings Culture
MKWDCS fosters a culture of savings and responsible financial management among its members. Farmers are trained on budgeting, record-keeping, and accessing credit facilities. By strengthening financial literacy, we help members plan for the future, invest in their farms, and build economic resilience.
Nutrition, Food Safety, and Environmental Care
Beyond production, we emphasize the importance of good nutrition, safe food handling, and environmental sustainability. Members learn about the nutritional value of milk, the importance of food safety standards, and eco-friendly farming methods. These practices not only protect consumers but also preserve natural resources for future generations.
Learning by doing: Demo farms serve as hands-on learning hubs for members and the community.
Production Support Services
Our members have access to a full ecosystem of support to enhance productivity and animal health:
Veterinary Services
MKWDCS supports members with access to reliable veterinary services to ensure the health and productivity of their livestock. Regular check-ups, vaccinations, and disease management programs help reduce losses and improve milk yields, giving farmers peace of mind and stronger herds.
Linkage to Quality Feeds and Fodder
The cooperative connects farmers to trusted suppliers of high-quality feeds and fodder. By guaranteeing access to nutritious and affordable inputs, we help members maintain healthier animals, improve milk production, and reduce the risks associated with poor feeding practices.
Support in Farm Structures and Hygiene
Members also receive guidance and support in developing proper farm structures, such as cowsheds and watering points, while maintaining strict hygiene standards. Clean, well-ventilated, and organized farms create a healthy environment that minimizes disease and boosts overall productivity.
Training in Feed Formulation and Zero Grazing Techniques
To promote efficiency and sustainability, MKWDCS trains farmers in feed formulation using locally available resources. In addition, members are encouraged to adopt zero grazing techniques, which maximize land use, improve feeding control, and ensure better manure management for environmental care.
Healthy animals mean more consistent milk production and reduced farming costs.
Community Engagement & Leadership Collaboration
At MKWDCS, we believe that real transformation happens when women and community leaders work hand-in-hand. Our cooperative actively involves local elders, government officers, traditional leaders, and partner organizations in shaping the direction of our programs and services.
By building strong relationships with key community stakeholders, we:
- Ensure that our services are inclusive and culturally respectful
- Promote shared ownership of projects like water access, milk storage, and training
- Strengthen the position of women as leaders and decision-makers in the dairy value chain
- Facilitate smooth implementation of interventions such as beekeeping, A.I. services, and livestock support
Through community forums, barazas, and joint stakeholder sessions, MKWDCS creates space for open dialogue and collaboration — ensuring our members are supported not only by the cooperative but by the entire community ecosystem.
Beekeeping & Livelihood Diversification
To supplement income and build climate resilience, MKWDCS supports members in modern beekeeping as an alternative livelihood.
Services Offered:
Training in Hive Setup and Maintenance
MKWDCS provides members with practical training on hive installation, management, and maintenance. Women farmers are taught how to select suitable sites, care for bee colonies, and ensure optimal conditions for honey production. This knowledge equips them to run beekeeping as a sustainable side enterprise alongside dairy farming.
Honey Harvesting and Packaging Support
To guarantee quality, members receive guidance on safe and hygienic honey harvesting methods. The cooperative also supports farmers with packaging skills and access to basic equipment, ensuring the final product is attractive, safe, and market-ready. This value addition helps members earn better returns from their harvests.
Market Linkage for Honey and Beeswax
Beyond production, MKWDCS connects farmers to reliable markets for both honey and beeswax. By negotiating collectively and building trusted supply chains, the cooperative ensures fair prices and reduces exploitation by middlemen. These linkages create additional income streams and promote diversification of livelihoods for women and their families.
Sweet income: Honey not only supplements household earnings but also supports food security.
Advocacy, Partnerships & Policy Engagement
ooperative leaders at a policy forum or stakeholder meeting
MKWDCS actively participates in local and national forums to advocate for better services and policies for smallholder dairy farmers.
Focus Areas:
Affordable Financing and Insurance
Access to affordable financing remains a challenge for many smallholder women farmers. MKWDCS works to bridge this gap by connecting members to financial institutions and partners who provide low-interest loans and flexible repayment options. We also promote agricultural insurance schemes that protect farmers from losses due to drought, diseases, or market shocks, ensuring greater stability and peace of mind.
Women’s Land and Resource Rights
Secure land and resource rights are vital for women to fully participate in and benefit from agriculture. MKWDCS advocates for women’s ownership and control of land, livestock, and other productive assets. By empowering women to have a rightful stake in resources, we strengthen their independence, enhance productivity, and foster intergenerational wealth.
Access to Markets and Fair Pricing
One of our key roles is ensuring that women farmers gain access to reliable markets where their produce fetches fair value. Through collective bargaining, partnerships, and bulk sales, MKWDCS helps members avoid exploitation by middlemen and ensures they receive competitive prices. Fair market access translates into higher household incomes and greater economic security for families.
Climate-Resilient Farming Policies
With climate change posing increasing risks, MKWDCS promotes policies and practices that support climate-resilient farming. We train members on water harvesting, drought-tolerant fodder production, and sustainable rangeland management. By equipping women with adaptive skills, we help safeguard livelihoods while protecting the environment for future generations.
We also collaborate with other co-operatives and stakeholders in line with the ICA principle of cooperation among cooperatives.
We are the voice of the grassroots dairy woman.
