Powering Profits with Solar: Kigoro Dairy’s Green Revolution

In Gatanga, Murang’a County, the sun is no longer just nurturing green pastures — it is powering livelihoods. At Kigoro Farmers Dairy Cooperative Society, solar energy is transforming dairy farming and increasing incomes for over 1,600 farmers, most of them women and youth.

Founded in 2015 with only 115 members, Kigoro Dairy has grown rapidly and now collects over 10,000 liters of milk daily. However, as milk production increased, so did electricity costs. Refrigeration and pasteurization require constant power, and monthly electricity bills reached between Ksh 300,000 and 350,000 — a heavy burden on the cooperative.

To address this, the cooperative invested Ksh 5 million in a solar power system. Through unity and collective commitment, members secured a loan, with each farmer contributing Ksh 600 monthly toward repayment. Today, solar energy powers milk cooling and pasteurization, cutting electricity bills by about 70% to roughly Ksh 70,000–80,000 per month.

The savings have directly benefited farmers. Milk prices increased from Ksh 35 to Ksh 45 per liter, boosting household incomes and enabling farmers to expand into other ventures like poultry farming.

Despite progress, challenges remain. The dairy lacks battery storage, meaning excess solar power cannot be saved for cloudy days — a common issue at the foot of Mount Kenya. Installing batteries would cost an additional Ksh 3.4 million.

Even so, Kigoro Dairy’s solar transition is already uplifting the community. Lower energy costs, better milk prices, and sustainable practices are proving that clean energy can drive rural economic transformation.