KENAFF and U.S. Dairy Export Council Launch Landmark Women in Dairy Report to Champion Female Farmers

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Women are playing an increasingly critical role in Kenya’s dairy sector, but persistent barriers in leadership, land ownership and access to finance continue to limit their full participation, according to the newly launched Kenya National Dairy Report.

The report, commissioned by the Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF) in partnership with the United States Dairy Export Council and conducted by the Africa Centre for Climate, Food and Nature, was unveiled at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi as part of efforts to celebrate 2026 as the Year of the Woman Farmer.

Speaking during the launch, KENAFF representative Valary Otieno said the study sought to profile Kenyan women as key contributors to the dairy value chain and identify opportunities and challenges affecting their participation in the sector.

The research covered five major dairy-producing counties—Kiambu, Meru, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru and Nyeri—and focused on women farmers who are members of dairy cooperatives.

According to the findings, women form the majority of participants in dairy cooperatives and are increasingly taking charge of household dairy income. However, the report found that women occupy only about 30 percent of leadership positions within cooperatives despite their significant contribution to milk production and marketing.

The study also revealed that while many women reported controlling dairy earnings, payments are often made through mobile money accounts registered in the names of husbands or male relatives, raising concerns about the extent of women's financial independence.

Land ownership emerged as one of the most significant barriers to women's advancement in dairy farming. Only 23 percent of women surveyed reported owning land titles in their own names, while others relied on joint ownership arrangements or family-owned land.

The report highlighted Nakuru County as a positive example, linking higher levels of women's land ownership to greater empowerment and improved access to finance. Researchers attributed this success to supportive gender policies and targeted financial programmes that encourage women’s participation in agriculture.

Otieno noted that access to credit remains a major challenge because many financial institutions require land as collateral. The report recommends that lenders consider alternative forms of security such as insured livestock, dairy records and cooperative milk delivery histories to enable more women to access financing.

Researchers also found encouraging signs for the future of the dairy sector, particularly in counties such as Meru, where growing numbers of young women are entering dairy farming. The trend suggests increasing interest among younger generations in a sector traditionally dominated by older farmers.

Despite the challenges, the report paints an optimistic picture of women's growing influence in dairy farming and calls for practical interventions to address existing barriers.

Among the recommendations are increased support for women’s leadership in cooperatives, improved access to land ownership and joint titling, targeted financing products, and policies aimed at strengthening women's decision-making power within the dairy value chain.

Otieno said the report is one of the first comprehensive studies dedicated specifically to women in Kenya’s dairy sector and provides an important roadmap for policymakers, cooperatives, development partners and financial institutions seeking to enhance gender inclusion in agriculture.

“This report shows both the progress women have made and the challenges that remain. It gives us a clear opportunity to move beyond recognition and focus on actionable solutions that can empower more women and strengthen the dairy sector as a whole,” she said

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