Safeguarding the Maziwa Lala Value Chain: UP-RISE Workshop Enhances Dairy Safety in Kenya

18 February 2026

In November 2025, the UP-RISE project successfully hosted its third multi-actor co-creation workshop in Africa, this time in Kisumu, Kenya. Over two days, 25 participants —including 23 operators and 2 community leaders— gathered to address critical safety and quality challenges within the maziwa lala (traditional fermented milk) value chain. This workshop followed a “farm-to-fork” methodology to evaluate the entire chain, from the production of animal feed to the final distribution of fermented milk products.

Specific objectives

• Establish a participatory approach that allows dairy operators to share knowledge and discuss quality issues;
• Build a common understanding of food safety principles, specifically focusing on the risks of mycotoxins (Aflatoxin M1);
• Identify critical points in the production process where hazards influence food quality and assess the economic or social trade-offs involved;
• Co-design practical innovations and best practices that are affordable and feasible for local Kenyan operators; and
• Develop an engagement plan to ensure stakeholders test and implement safety solutions before the next project phase.

Insights from the field

The workshop involved a diverse group of actors, including feed processors, dairy farmers, millers and milk vendors.

Key discussions highlighted several vulnerabilities in the current system:

• Hidden Hazards: While participants easily identified visible contaminants like dirty containers or udders, many were initially unaware that aflatoxins could transfer from contaminated animal feed into milk.
• Carcinogenic Risks: Aflatoxin M1 is a known human carcinogen (Group 2B) prevalent in Kenya, and the workshop highlighted the urgent need for better management to reduce hepatic cancer risks.
• Resource and Knowledge Gaps: Operators identified major constraints, including financial limitations for purchasing testing kits, unreliable electricity for the cold chain, and a lack of training on mycotoxin mitigation.
• Gender Perspectives: Women play a dominant role in milk processing (80%) and selling (75%), while men are more heavily involved in the physically demanding tasks of feed processing and grain transport.

Co-created solutions and commitments

Through small-group discussions and exchanges of ideas, participants developed a strategic plan for safer dairy production. Stakeholders committed to several specific actions:

• Farmers pledged to implement good agricultural practices discussed during the workshop, including proper udder disinfection, providing clean water, and managing cow health through inventory records.
• Feed Processors committed to using moisture meters and tarpaulins to ensure feed ingredients are dried properly before storage.
• Milk Processors vowed to test milk in laboratories (such as KEBS) and reject contaminated batches while providing feedback to their suppliers.
• Distributors agreed to prioritize temperature control (maintaining milk at <4°C) and invest in group refrigerators or backup generators to preserve quality.

Next Steps

Participants expressed high levels of enthusiasm, noting that the workshop provided practical tools to improve their business efficiency. The results will be used to develop a specialised Good Practice Guide for the maziwa lala value chain. All attendees confirmed their intention to participate in a follow-up workshop to be organised at the end of 2026 to report on the progress of the solutions they have begun testing.