Study examines the impact of COVID-19 on informal milk markets and household food security in Nairobi

A study published in the April 2023 issue of Current Developments in Nutrition has put forth new empirical evidence on the effect of COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in behaviour and government restrictions in Kenya on dairy supply chains and urban and peri-urban household food access.

The study focused on milk sold in informal markets and examined changes in milk sales, consumption of dairy products, and food insecurity among low-income households in urban and peri-urban Nairobi following the announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya in March 2020.

The study was conducted by scientists affiliated to the International Food Policy Research Institute, the International Livestock Research Institute and the University of Greenwich.

The researchers started by collecting baseline data on milk sales and consumption from informal milk vendors and their customers in late 2019.

Later, two follow-up telephone surveys were conducted among the same milk vendors and customers in July and September–October 2020, respectively.

The first survey found that the volume of milk sold by the vendors had dropped by 30% compared to the baseline level and the volume of informally sold milk consumed by households had reduced by 23%.

After the second survey, the volumes of milk sold and consumed were found to have increased but were lower than the volumes observed a year earlier in the same season.

The study also found that the rate of food insecurity increased by 16 and 11 percentage points in the first and second surveys, respectively, compared to the baseline.

These findings suggest that the timing of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related government-instituted restrictions on movement to control the spread of the disease were associated with a decrease in the supply and consumption of milk from informal markets in Nairobi, and a decrease in the food security of peri-urban consumers.

The authors of the study therefore recommend that in times of crisis, short-term relief efforts and longer-term social protection policies be implemented to ensure that low-income households can maintain their food purchasing power and the quality of their diets.

“Such policies would also have positive effects on food vendors, as the demand for highly nutritious products would be maintained,” they add.

Additionally, movement restrictions to control the spread of COVID-19 should be designed to minimize disruptions to food supply chains, in particular of fresh foods, which are more vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.

This will ensure an adequate supply of nutritious products in the market and protect the incomes of people who depend on informal markets for their livelihoods.

Citation
Alonso, S., Angel, M.D., Muunda, E., Kilonzi, E., Palloni, G., Grace, D. and Leroy, J.L. 2023. Consumer demand for milk and the informal dairy sector amidst COVID-19 in Nairobi, Kenya. Current Developments in Nutrition 7(4): 100058.

Photo credit: Pouring boiled milk in Waithaka, Nairobi, Kenya (ILRI/Shadrack Isingoma)

 

Study on milk purchase and consumption in low-income households in Kenya highlights the importance of the informal dairy sector

Favourable policies that promote the availability and affordability of milk sold by informal markets can help to increase milk consumption and boost the nutrition of children in low-income households in Kenya, a new study reports.

The study, published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems (Feb 2023), identified the patterns of household milk purchase and consumption in peri-urban low-income households in Dagoretti, Nairobi, with emphasis on young children and milk bought from informal markets.

The study also sought to estimate the key determinants of dairy purchase and consumption patterns to identify areas of leverage to increase household milk consumption.

Milk plays an important role in the growth and development of children. In Kenya, it is one of the most widely produced and consumed animal food products but often consumed in small amounts among children of low-income families.

The study found that 98% of the sampled households purchased unprocessed fresh milk at least once during the seven days prior to the survey, while only 17% bought packaged pasteurised milk.

The amount of unpackaged milk purchased by households was positively and significantly related to household income, the number of children below the age of four years, and the budget for animal food products.

Analysis of milk consumption patterns by children under four years of age revealed that milk and dairy products were more commonly consumed as part of dishes than as individual products.

Although informal markets were found to play a key role in meeting the milk needs of children, consumption of milk was below recommended levels.

Because of the association of income and milk intake, the authors of the study call for the government to support the dairy sector with policies that promote the availability and affordability of milk.

This is especially so for the informal dairy sector that the majority of Kenyan low-income families rely on to meet their dietary and nutritional needs.

Citation

Muunda, E., Mtimet, N., Bett, E., Wanyoike, F. and Alonso, S. 2023. Milk purchase and consumption patterns in peri-urban low-income households in Kenya. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 7: 1084067.

Photo credit: Customers at a milk bar in Ndumbuini in Kabete, Nairobi (ILRI/Paul Karaimu)

 

New study explores governance of milk quality and safety in the informal sector in Assam, India

Scientists from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have published a new study that explores how the safety of milk and dairy products is understood and managed within the informal dairy sector of Guwahati, the largest city in Assam, northeast India.

The study, published in the journal Cogent Food & Agriculture (Oct 2022), contributes to a growing body of literature that questions negative assumptions about food safety in informal markets, and seeks to understand how access to safe and healthy food for all is, or can be, achieved in these markets.

The study combined a literature review of the informal dairy sector in Assam and India with a field survey and key informant interviews.

The survey of 113 producers, intermediaries, retailers, traditional processors and consumers, provides insights into how people think about the safety of milk, and the everyday practices they employ to mitigate food safety risks when trading and consuming dairy products.

The findings suggest that, in the absence of formal guarantees of quality and safety, consumers’ cultural practices and producers’ and traders’ knowledge likely reduce the risks of consuming raw milk.

Despite the informal dairy sector receiving little direct government support in India, the study found that at the state level, there has been some cooperation between government officials, small-scale producers and informal traders.

The authors conclude that the absence of adverse relations between these groups, together with proactive attempts at collaboration, could inform the approaches of other Indian states to food safety governance, and are a positive foundation for future improvements to food safety in Assam’s dairy sector.

Citation

Nicolini, G., Guarin, A., Deka, R.P., Vorley, B., Alonso, S., Blackmore, E. and Grace, D. 2022. Milk quality and safety in the informal sector in Assam, India: governance, perceptions, and practices. Cogent Food & Agriculture 8(1): 2137897.

Photo credit: Evening milk sales in Guwahati, Assam, India (ILRI/Susan MacMillan)

 

New study explores gendered barriers and opportunities in Kenya’s informal dairy sector

Informal milk trading in peri-urban Nairobi plays a key role in supporting both livelihoods and nutrition, particularly among poor households. Gender dynamics affect who is involved in milk trading and who benefits from it.

To better understand gendered constraints and opportunities in informal, peri-urban dairy marketing, scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute and the International Food Policy Research Institute conducted a qualitative study in 2017 with 45 men and 50 women milk traders in Dagoretti, a peri-urban area in Nairobi, Kenya. The study is published in Gender, Technology and Development (27 Jun 2022).

The findings show that milk trading is more lucrative for older men than for women and younger men among the respondents. The study delves into the reasons behind the observed differences in the experiences of women and men as informal milk traders. The study also discusses the implications of the findings for interventions aimed at enhancing the sustainability and equity of the dairy sector.

Citation

Galiè, A., Njiru, N., Heckert, J., Myers, E. and Alonso, S. 2022. Gendered barriers and opportunities in Kenya’s informal dairy sector: enhancing gender-equity in urban markets. Gender, Technology and Development 26(2): 214–237.

Photo credit: Customers at a milk bar in Ndumbuini in Kabete, Nairobi (ILRI/Paul Karaimu)

 

New research offers insights on bridging the gap between policy and reality in Kenya’s informal milk sector

Effective communication and constructive dialogue on inclusive ways forward between policy-makers and informal milk vendors can help to bridge the gap between policy and reality in Kenya’s informal milk sector, according to a new research study published in Development Policy Review (May 2022).

Around 80% of milk in Kenya is sold informally, providing livelihoods and contributing to the food security and nutrition of low-income consumers. Government policy, however, is focused on formalization—primarily through licensing and pasteurization—with enforcement via fines, confiscation of milk or closing the premises of informal actors.

The study, which was carried out by researchers from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), sought to better understand if, and why, Kenya’s informal milk sector and regulatory system are disconnected from one another and how the policy–reality gap might be better bridged.

To understand the nature and performance of Kenya’s informal milk markets and their governance, the authors used surveys with informal market players and key informant interviews. Fieldwork was carried out in Nairobi in late 2018.

The study found that milk safety and quality matters to all actors in informal milk value chains. The trust-based system used is effective in moderating behaviour and assessing and prioritizing quality and safety. 

However, government policy was found not to accomplish the stated goal of formalization, with low levels of licensing among informal actors. Pasteurization was not rewarded in the market and there was some evidence of sub-optimal pasteurization processes being undertaken to satisfy regulators. 

These findings point to a gap between the reality of Kenya’s informal milk sector and its policy and regulatory system.

This gap is seen in the form of adversarial relationships between regulators and informal actors, and unnecessary transaction costs, missing opportunities for enhancing livelihoods, food safety, and food security. 

The authors of the study therefore recommend that new approaches build on and consider existing approaches taken by actors in informal food markets to ensure food safety and quality. 

Citation

Blackmore, E., Guarín, A., Vorley, B., Alonso, S. and Grace, D. 2022. Kenya’s informal milk markets and the regulation-reality gap. Development Policy Review 40(3): e12581.

Photo credit: Milk collection at a dairy plant in Ol Kalou, Kenya (ILRI/Paul Karaimu)

 

Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021 side event discusses the role of informal markets within future food systems

The Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021 takes place on 7–8 December 2021. The summit comes at a critical time, midway through the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition, with only five years left to achieve the World Health Assembly  targets on maternal, infant and young child nutrition, and 10 years to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ahead of the summit, on 2 December 2021, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) hosted a side event on the role of informal markets within future food systems.

The purpose of the side event was to derive a set of principles to help national policymakers develop risk-based policies that reward positive food safety as opposed to criminalization and marginalization. Such policies will improve the governance, operations and future of informal markets to ensure their continued contribution to livelihoods, health and nutrition.

A panel discussion featured the following speakers:

• Delia Grace, professor of food safety systems, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich and joint appointed scientist, ILRI
• Jane Battersby, senior lecturer, Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town
• Vivian Maduekeh, managing principal, Food Health Systems Advisory
• Emma Blackmore, research associate, IIED
• Stella Nordhagen, senior technical specialist, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
• Utpal Kumar Sharma, director, Dairy Development Department, Government of Assam, India

View the recording below.

Photo credit: Market place in Kenya (World Bank/Sambrian Mbaabu)

 

Community-based training on milk hygiene improves knowledge, attitudes and practices of women pastoralists in Borana, Ethiopia

Milk and milk products are essential in the diets of the Borana pastoral community in Ethiopia. However, traditional handling and processing of dairy products using basic equipment and infrastructure coupled with a preference for raw milk consumption pose potential health risks to consumers.

A new research study published in the Journal of Dairy Science (Nov 2020) reports on the testing of a community-based training intervention to improve the knowledge, attitudes and practices of women in the Borana pastoral area of Ethiopia regarding hygienic handling and safe consumption of milk.

The intervention consisted of 16 hours of training on good milk production practices and prevention of milk-borne diseases using locally-tailored content. A total of 120 women who produce and sell milk products were trained and their knowledge, attitudes and practices assessed at three stages: before, immediately after and six months after training.

Overall, training increased the knowledge score of the participants from 75.6% before training to 91.4% immediately after training and 90% six months after training. The attitude score significantly improved from 58.8% before training to 64.7% immediately after training. Likewise, there was an observed increase in the trainees’ understanding of correct milk handling practices from 49.5% before training to 64.7% six months after training.

“Future training interventions should be complemented by locally adaptable technologies, provision of incentives and creation of an enabling environment including improved access to clean water and sanitation facilities,” the study authors recommend, adding that this could include practical sessions at the homesteads or herding places of the pastoralists.

Citation

Amenu, K., Agga, G.E., Kumbe, A., Shibiru, A., Desta, H., Tiki, W., Dego, O.K., Wieland, B., Grace, D. and Alonso, S. 2020. MILK Symposium review: Community-tailored training to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of women regarding hygienic milk production and handling in Borana pastoral area of southern Ethiopia. Journal of Dairy Science 103(11): 9748–9757. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18292

Photo credit: A pastoralist milks her goat, Borana, Ethiopia (ILRI/Zerihun Sewunet)

 

Experts review policy innovation to improve milk safety in informal markets

A new research report (Oct 2020) by scientists from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) reviews the status and policy contexts of informal milk markets in Kenya, Tanzania and Assam (India) to better understand the opportunities for a policy innovation based on training and certification to overcome market access barriers for sellers of informal milk by improving the health and safety practices of informal milk traders, thereby addressing policymakers’ concerns. It is based on an extensive review of available literature and a small number of expert interviews and contributions.

Citation

Blackmore, E., Guarín, A., Alonso, S., Grace, D. and Vorley, B. 2020. Informal milk markets in Kenya, Tanzania and Assam (India): An overview of their status, policy context, and opportunities for policy innovation to improve health and safety. ILRI Project Report. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.

Photo credit: Milk cans at the Ol Kalou Dairy Plant, Kenya (ILRI/Paul Karaimu)

 

Researchers investigate the governance structure of the Nairobi dairy value chain and its influence on food safety

A new study published in Preventive Veterinary Medicine has investigated the governance structure of the Nairobi dairy value chain and the challenges faced by stakeholders and how these impact on food safety.

The dairy value chain of Nairobi consists mostly of small-scale independent enterprises that operate within a complex interlinked system. In this complexity, the coordination and power structures of the system may have major influences on the management of dairy food safety.

The study was carried out by a team of scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute, the Kenya Directorate of Veterinary Services, Royal College London, the University of Liverpool and the University of Nairobi as part of a research project on the epidemiology, ecology and socio-economics of disease emergence in Nairobi.

The researchers collected qualitative data through focus group discussions and key informant interviews based on a dairy value chain mapping framework previously developed. Thematic analysis enabled identification of governance themes, key challenges and analysis of their implications on food safety. Themes were organized depending on their association with farmers (informal settlement or peri-urban), dairy cooperatives, dairy traders, processing companies, retailers or government officers.

The identified governance themes included (i) weak linkage between government and farmers, (ii) inadequate compliance with government regulations by traders and retailers, (iii) emphasis on business licenses and permits for revenue rather than for food safety, (iv) multiple licensing resulting in high business cost and lack of compliance, (v) fragmented regulation, (vi) unfair competition and (vii) sanctions that do not always result in compliance.

The key challenges identified included (i) inadequate farmer support, (ii) harassment of traders and retailers and (iii) high business costs for traders, retailers, dairy cooperatives and large processors.

The implication of governance and challenges of food safety were, among others, (i) inadequate extension services, (ii) insufficient cold chain, (iii) delivery of adulterated and low milk quality to bulking centres, (iv) inadequate food safety training and (v) lack of policies for management of waste milk.

The range of issues highlighted is based on stakeholders’ perceptions and reflects the complexity of the relationships between them. Many of the governance themes demonstrate the linkages that are both beneficial or confrontational between the formal and informal sectors, and between industry and regulatory authorities, with possible direct food safety consequences.

The findings of the study give indications to decision-makers of potential governance areas that could help improve efficiency and food safety along the dairy value chain.

Citation
Kiambi, S., Onono, J.O., Kang’ethe, E., Aboge, G.O., Murungi, M.K., Muinde, P., Akoko, J., Momanyi, K., Rushton, J., Fèvre, E.M. and Alarcon, P. 2020. Investigation of the governance structure of the Nairobi dairy value chain and its influence on food safety. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 179: 105009.

Photo credit: Customers at a milk bar in Ndumbuini in Kabete, Nairobi (ILRI/Paul Karaimu)

 

Expert review examines impact of mycotoxins on dairy cattle health in sub-Saharan Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa, contamination of dairy feed with mycotoxins has been frequently reported. Mycotoxins pose a threat to animal health and productivity and are a hazard to human health as some mycotoxins and their metabolites are excreted in milk, such as aflatoxin M1.

A new review paper published in the journal Toxins (April 2020) describes the major mycotoxins, their occurrence and their impact in dairy cattle diets in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the problems related to animal health, productivity and food safety and the latest post-harvest mitigation strategies to prevent and reduce contamination of dairy feed with mycotoxins.

Citation
Kemboi, D.C., Antonissen, G., Ochieng, P.E., Croubels, S., Okoth, S., Kang’ethe, E.K., Faas, J., Lindahl, J.F. and Gathumbi, J.K. 2020. A review of the impact of mycotoxins on dairy cattle health: Challenges for food safety and dairy production in sub-Saharan Africa. Toxins 12(4): 222.

Photo credit: Maize crop, Pacassa village, Tete province, Mozambique (ILRI/Mann)