Dairy in development Tulaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society is a marketing Cooperative which was registered in 1964 under the Cooperative Act Chapter 490 of the laws of Kenya. At the inception the Cooperative had 427 members and to date the membership has grown to 3000. The Society’s core activities are to collect raw milk from members and selling it. Currently they sell their milk to Brookside, Afroden, Daima, Lari and other Local Institutions.

In 2004 the Government through the Ministry of Cooperative Development and Marketing assessed the marketing Societies in Kenya to identify a viable and unique Marketing Cooperative in which to carry out a FAO/GOK funded pilot project involving development of software for Marketing Organizations. Tulaga was identified in 2006 and the project commissioned. They therefore pioneered in the development of Coop Works which to date has greatly improved the efficiency of the Cooperative in milk collection and feed store management.

The Cooperative has ventured into other income generating activities such as store for resale, consumer shop, transport, cattle dip, and value addition all aimed at ensuring that the Society remains economically viable with members economic welfare being care of. They collect up to 18,000 litres of milk during the peak months and 11,900 at the lowest. The Cooperative has potential to grow their volume to 25,000 litres and needs to diversify their market portfolio.

The Board ambition as stipulated in their Strategic Plan; 2007 -2012 is to increase milk intake to 60,000 kg annually, diversify services e.g. start value addition in yoghurt and cheese. So far the Cooperative produces small amount of Yoghurt.

A Cooperative assessment was carried out 22 – 23 March involving the Board, Manager, Management Committee and Farmers.  The findings are; that the Cooperative has been successful in mobilizing the Members to deliver 95% of their milk to the Cooperative. They only have 500 inactive members. Coop works software, has greatly assisted the Manager in real-time reporting and management. Though the Cooperative owns a chiller with a capacity of 5000 litres it’s not put to use optimally because milk is delivered directly to the Processors (their main market). The Cooperative has a five year strategic plan that is guiding the growth of the business. The main challenges faced by the Cooperative include; Fodder management, high cost of production due to high cost of feeds, Limited market, Staff Motivation, Business Vision among others. On milk quality the assessment revealed that 30% of milk is rejected regularly due to quality related issues. 

To address some of the above challenges SNV, Agriterra and Tulaga have agreed to work on the following targets in 2011;
o	Increase Membership to 2500
o	Increase Milk volumes to  20,000 litres
o	Reduced milk rejection by 10%
o	Train 540 farmers trained
o	1 exposure visit
o	Diversify market portfolio

The main areas of intervention include; improving productivity, improve milk supply chain, diversify the market portfolio through market feasibility and business planning.

Tulaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society is a marketing Cooperative which was registered in 1964 under the Cooperative Act Chapter 490 of the laws of Kenya. At the inception the Cooperative had 427 members and to date the membership has grown to 3000. The Society’s core activities are to collect raw milk from members and selling it. Currently they sell their milk to Brookside, Afroden, Daima, Lari and other Local Institutions.

In 2004 the Government through the Ministry of Cooperative Development and Marketing assessed the marketing Societies in Kenya to identify a viable and unique Marketing Cooperative in which to carry out a FAO/GOK funded pilot project involving development of software for Marketing Organizations. Tulaga was identified in 2006 and the project commissioned. They therefore pioneered in the development of Coop Works which to date has greatly improved the efficiency of the Cooperative in milk collection and feed store management.

The Cooperative has ventured into other income generating activities such as store for resale, consumer shop, transport, cattle dip, and value addition all aimed at ensuring that the Society remains economically viable with members economic welfare being care of. They collect up to 18,000 litres of milk during the peak months and 11,900 at the lowest. The Cooperative has potential to grow their volume to 25,000 litres and needs to diversify their market portfolio.

The Board ambition as stipulated in their Strategic Plan; 2007 -2012 is to increase milk intake to 60,000 kg annually, diversify services e.g. start value addition in yoghurt and cheese. So far the Cooperative produces small amount of Yoghurt.

A Cooperative assessment was carried out 22 – 23 March involving the Board, Manager, Management Committee and Farmers.  The findings are; that the Cooperative has been successful in mobilizing the Members to deliver 95% of their milk to the Cooperative. They only have 500 inactive members. Coop works software, has greatly assisted the Manager in real-time reporting and management. Though the Cooperative owns a chiller with a capacity of 5000 litres it’s not put to use optimally because milk is delivered directly to the Processors (their main market). The Cooperative has a five year strategic plan that is guiding the growth of the business. The main challenges faced by the Cooperative include; Fodder management, high cost of production due to high cost of feeds, Limited market, Staff Motivation, Business Vision among others. On milk quality the assessment revealed that 30% of milk is rejected regularly due to quality related issues. 

To address some of the above challenges SNV, Agriterra and Tulaga have agreed to work on the following targets in 2011;
o	Increase Active Membership to 2500
o	Increase Milk volumes to  20,000 litres
o	Reduced milk rejection by 10%
o	Train 540 farmers trained
o	1 exposure visit
o	Diversify market portfolio

The main areas of intervention include; improving productivity, improve milk supply chain, diversify the market portfolio through market feasibility and business planning.

Goal for 2013 is to acquire new eighing scales.