How a Redesigned Milk Pail Will Change Food Distribution in Kenya
When we get milk in the US, it’s been ultra-pasteurized and filtered through several cleaning processes to remove any impurities that may have found their way into the final product despite extremely sanitary milking measures. But in Kenya, most farmers don’t have that luxury, limiting distribution and affecting the health of consumers, which is bad for business all around.
So what’s the solution? Design a better milk pail and distribution system as part of collaboration with the Bill Gates Foundation, to reduce contamination and improve regulatory practices, according to the report by Fast Company on the new initiative in Kenya.
The Mazzi is a 10-liter container specially designed for solving this milk crisis. Almost 80% of Kenya’s milk supply comes from the small farmers who can benefit most from this product, which includes an ultra-wide mouth for easy cleaning, notches on the sides for easy transportation, measurement scales to help farmers get the right price and even a funnel that helps identify potential disease in cattle.
If all goes well, the Mazzi will improve milk quality and help small farmers grow stronger businesses. Even larger corporations like Nestle are considering switching to the healthier local milk for production in the country, rather than importing it from elsewhere.
Will plastic change the future for these farmers? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, tell us what you think in the comments below!