Kenyan Dairy Farmer Mary Rono

The lush green fields of Kenya's Rift Valley are home to thousands of small-scale dairy farmers like Mary Rono. Initially selling her milk as an individual producer, Rono and others like her were forced to peddle their milk to informal traders who paid low prices and infrequently picked up their milk. But, with the assistance of USAID and Land O'Lakes International Development, Rono is now heading a cooperative in a community that once shunned female leadership, and farmers she has inspired are finally enjoying the profits they deserve. Rono began assisting farmers in her community to collect and bulk their milk by establishing the Koitogos Dairy Dynamic self-help group in 2009, starting with only 15 members. In early 2011, support from USAID enabled Land O'Lakes to help Rono to formally establish her group as a cooperative, and provided training to farmers on improved production, breeding, feeding, animal care and many other topics. Through Rono's leadership, the co-op has already grown to 350 farmer-members who are producing 1,050 liters of milk daily. "Dairy farming wasn't new to our community, but the idea of coming together as a cooperative was," said Rono. "As a result of working together, we're now able to earn 10 more shillings per liter for our milk. We are hoping to pool these extra resources to buy a cooler so that we can milk twice a day, bringing even more value to our cooperative efforts. The extra money has impacted us a lot and more people are joining our cooperative. Now that members have extra money, they are using it for food and schooling." According to Rono, her leadership has served a role a model for other young women in her community, which typically shuns female leadership. "I believe, over time, that experiences like mine can change women's leadership roles."