Impact of Milk Handling Equipment and Farmer Training on Milk Hygiene Among Smallholder Women Dairy Farmers in Shabeley Woreda, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Food safety remains a critical challenge in developing countries, including Ethiopia, where dairy products are often contaminated with foodborne pathogens. Despite this, there have been limited interventions targeting food safety improvement along the dairy value chain. This intervention study aimed to enhance the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) of women dairy farmers in Shabeley Woreda, Somali Region, Ethiopia, through customized training designed to match their educational backgrounds. A total of 25 dairy women farmers were recruited from local milk cooperatives and milk collection centers across four study sites. Training materials focusing on clean milk production and hygienic milking practices were developed for a largely illiterate audience and delivered over a 3-day period using interactive lectures, video demonstrations, practical sessions, and pictorial handouts. Pre- and post-training assessments using structured questionnaires and observation checklists revealed significant improvements in KAP scores across all participants. Knowledge scores increased from an average of 37.6% to 88%, attitudes improved from 46.4% to 93.2%, and good hygienic practices rose from 44.8% to 81.6%. Moreover, adoption of improved practices such as handwashing before milking (80%), use of clean udder washing materials (75%), and proper milk storage and transportation methods (70%) was observed post-training. Microbiological analysis showed a substantial reduction in total bacterial count (TBC) from 2.3×10⁷ CFU/mL to 3.3×10⁴ CFU/mL, and coliform count decreased from 1.6×10⁵ CFU/mL to 2.0×10³ CFU/mL. However, assessments of the milk shade environment identified persistent risks related to poor infrastructure, such as inadequate water supply, lack of proper milk containers, and absence of cooling facilities. While the effectiveness of the customized training was demonstrated through increased KAP scores and improved milk quality, the persistence of certain contamination risks underscores the need for integrated interventions. The study concludes that while context-specific food safety training significantly enhances dairy hygiene at the farm level, it must be accompanied by investments in basic dairy infrastructure to sustainably achieve clean milk production.