Incentives to the uptake of GHG emission reducing technologies in the global dairy sector: the Kenya case study.

The dairy sector in Kenya is one of the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Kenyan Government has stated ambitions for its transition to higher output and towards lower emissions in line with international commitments. Addressing the yield gap and meeting environmental targets is only achievable through the adoption of climate-smart practices.
• Interventions are being made to join up extension and research services and encourage adoption of key practices that raise productivity and reduce the greenhouse gas burden from current production.
• Structural and institutional issues pervade the sector due, in part, to a long history of liberalisation leading to the majority of dairy milk being sold through informal supply chains from small-holder dairy enterprises. Moreover, Kenya has a range of systems operating at various levels of intensity. The wide range in yields recorded reflects economic, climatic, biophysical and social constraint current practice and adoption.
• We outline the main feasible climate smart practices and approaches that could be adopted across this sector, the major barriers to their adoption, and potential interventions to encourage future adoption to meet Kenya’s vision for its dairy sector. These are outlined in the following tables.
• Overall, there is significant potential for improving yields and reducing emissions intensity across a range of practices that are considered cost-effective. Larger scale interventions are also considered which may bring about transitional change, these tend to focus on co-ordination of initiatives to ensure clear messaging and equity of access in growth. This encompasses initiatives both from the private and public sectors.