Ahmedabad, India – February 2025 — A visit by Kenyan dairy stakeholders to India has laid the groundwork for a transformative shift in how milk quality is assessed, recorded, and remunerated in Kenya. Organised by Agriterra, the study visit to Prompt Equipment in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, offered an in-depth look at the technology that could make quality-based milk payment (QBMP) a reality for cooperatives like Mumberes and Torongo. The trip could mark a major step forward in ensuring fair farmer remuneration, enhanced milk quality, and digital transparency across the dairy value chain.
Prompt Equipment, a pioneer in India's dairy tech sector, is renowned for supporting Amul – the world’s largest dairy cooperative – and their robust, tech-driven systems for milk collection, analysis, and farm management. The Kenyan delegation, which included leaders from two major dairy cooperatives, technical advisors from Agriterra, and representatives from Bio Foods Ltd, visited Prompt’s headquarters, toured manufacturing plants, and engaged directly with software developers and product engineers to evaluate the practicality of deploying this technology in Kenya.
Exploring the Technology Behind Quality-Based Payment
At the core of the visit was the Prompt iSmart Sanchay milk analyser – a mobile device capable of measuring critical milk quality parameters like butterfat, SNF (solids-not-fat), added water, and density in under 40 seconds. Designed for rural mobility, the Sanchay runs on solar power and boasts cloud integration, enabling real-time data sharing with cooperative offices. Its compatibility with mobile applications and capacity for easy data export positions it as a powerful tool for cooperatives eager to introduce performance-based farmer payments.
The delegation also examined Prompt’s Milk Sangrah App – an automated milk collection platform that sends SMS updates to farmers and records transactions in the cloud. This digitised system ensures transparency and traceability in milk transactions and supports multiple languages, pricing models, and data analytics features.
Bridging Tech Innovation Across Borders
Discussions during the visit confirmed the equipment’s technical suitability and user-friendliness. Particularly relevant were the devices’ low maintenance needs, integration flexibility, and readiness for Kenya’s terrain, where mobile collection points are common. The only significant limitation identified was the difference in milk quality standards between India and Kenya. While India typically uses only fat and SNF for quality-based pricing, Kenya’s system is more comprehensive, demanding further customisation of software and reporting capabilities.
Encouragingly, Prompt's software development team affirmed their readiness to adapt the technology for Kenya's unique requirements. In addition, the company signalled its intention to establish long-term partnerships in Kenya, including training, local maintenance support, and piloting new solutions such as portable chillers and crate tracking systems.
Key Considerations and Next Steps
While the delegation returned confident in the potential of Prompt’s offerings, several questions remain before rollout decisions are finalised:
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Who bears the cost of hardware, software, and integration – cooperatives, Bio Foods, or through Agriterra support?
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Which milk collection routes should remain mobile, and which might become fixed centres for efficiency?
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How do we quantify and communicate the benefits of this system to all stakeholders, especially farmers?
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What financing models are most suitable for cooperatives investing in such digital infrastructure?
Prompt has already received detailed input from the cooperatives and will shortly provide final integration costs. A decision on piloting the system – beginning with Mumberes in April 2025 and potentially extending to Torongo by June – is expected by the end of March.
A Path Forward for Kenya’s Dairy Sector
This visit, facilitated by Agriterra, has not only provided invaluable exposure to cutting-edge dairy technologies but also strengthened cross-border collaboration in the pursuit of fairer, smarter agriculture. The proposed pilot marks an ambitious but necessary step toward digitising and professionalising Kenya’s dairy cooperatives.
As the sector shifts its focus to quality over quantity, solutions like those from Prompt Equipment could empower farmers, improve milk standards, and build a transparent and competitive market for Kenyan dairy. The future of milk, it seems, is not just about volume – it’s about value. And that future may have just begun.
