Wafula Barasa, a 40-year-old IT consultant in Dubai, UAE, dreamed of establishing a thriving dairy farm in Eldoret, Kenya, as a sustainable venture for his family’s future. Drawing from his Luhya heritage, he envisioned sourcing top breeds like Friesian cows, building a state-of-the-art farmhouse with proper barns, milking parlors, fencing, and ventilation, growing nutrient-rich fodder such as napier grass, implementing silage storage for year-round feed, using artificial insemination for superior breeding, and scaling through effective marketing to local cooperatives like the Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC) for steady growth and profitability.
Challenge
The vast distance from Dubai to Eldoret’s rolling fields, coupled with a time difference, turned his vision into a nightmare. Wafula initially hired a local manager who promised expertise but delivered subpar results sourcing low-quality breeds that fell sick often, skimping on farmhouse setup leading to poor hygiene and drainage issues, failing to plant adequate fodder resulting in feed shortages during dry seasons, and botching artificial insemination attempts, which caused breeding delays and low calf survival rates. Fears of fraud escalated when funds for marketing and expansion vanished without trace, embezzling more than KSh 300,000 meant for veterinary services and silage pits, causing milk yields to plummet and emotional distress as Wafula worried about financial ruin during his demanding work hours.
Solution
Desperate for reliability, Wafula discovered our services via a diaspora farming forum and entrusted us with key tasks: sourcing and verifying high-quality Friesian breeds from reputable suppliers, supervising farmhouse construction including installation of ventilated barns, milking equipment, and proper drainage; coordinating fodder planting and silage storage setup; and arranging artificial insemination with certified vets while exploring marketing channels to KCC. Our vetted team in Eldoret visited bi-weekly, providing transparent WhatsApp updates with photos of breed arrivals, construction progress, fodder growth videos, breeding sessions, and receipt scans for all expenses, ensuring accountability every step.
Outcome and Impact
The farm transformed into a model operation within eight months, with milk production tripling to 500 liters daily, generating an additional KSh 1.2 million in annual profits avoiding prior losses and enabling expansion to 20 cows. Disease incidents dropped by 80% thanks to better breeds and nutrition, while effective marketing secured premium contracts, fostering sustainable growth. Wafula now funds his siblings education remotely, with the farm employing locals and satisfying his dreams. Emulate Wafula’s triumph in building your Kenyan dairy legacy; get in touch with us now for trusted, hands-on support.
