Smallholder farmers’ preferences for climate-smart dairy strategies in Central Kenya

Shifting to sustainable dairy production is vital for smallholder welfare and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The adoption of climate-smart dairy strategies has been proposed as a viable response in the face of progressive climate change. However, adoption of these strategies remains low in sub-Saharan countries, including Kenya. Understanding preferences for various strategies is essential for aligning policies with the needs of smallholder farmers. This study aims to assess smallholder farmers’ preferences for climate-smart dairy strategies in Central Kenya. We used a best-worst scaling approach and a latent class model to evaluate preferences and their determinants using 385 respondents. We find that farmers preferred animal health management and improved feeding. In particular, farmers ranked deworming (a preference score of 95%) and feed formulation (a preference score of 84%) as the most preferred attributes. Four distinct preference classes emerged, influenced by age, household size, land size, group membership, and attitude. Understanding farmers’ preferences is key to increasing adoption. Emphasising deworming, tick control, and feed formulation can enhance farmer welfare and sustainability. These insights can inform the development of climate-smart dairy strategies aligned with farmers’ objectives, promoting broader adoption and reduction of Greenhouse gas emissions.