The Maziwa ‘Milk’ loan and technical assistance that helped increase dairy farmers’ productivity
A tailored loan product, combined with technical assistance, helped dairy farmers in Kenya increase milk production and earnings and improve their quality of life. These were some of the main conclusions of a survey that also revealed that the additional income generated was then used more for household needs, education, and debt repayment and less for infrastructure investment.
Access to affordable, high-quality cattle feed is one of the main challenges that dairy smallholder farmers face, as it is the highest operating cost in dairy farming. As a result, many smallholder farmers produce low-quality silage, face significant post-harvest losses, and struggle with inconsistent nutritional content, all of which limit milk yields and income potential.
To help address these challenges, SSNUP supported Bamboo Capital Partners, a former impact investor partner of the programme, to co-fund a technical assistance initiative for Premier Credit, a subsidiary of Platcorp Group. The project was built on Premier Credit's Maziwa (milk in Kiswahili) loan, a product that combines credit, financial advisory and technical support to strengthen dairy enterprises and promote financial inclusion among smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya.
Alongside increased earnings and productivity, the survey found continued demand for the Maziwa Loan, with 64% of participating farmers indicating their intention to reapply, highlighting the product's relevance and value to dairy farming households.