In the recent past, poultry keeping was done in small scale for subsistence and not for business. Most farmers then kept indigenous chicken which took six months to be ready for the market.

It is in the light of this that the County directorate of livestock production embarked on an intensive promotion of raring improved indigenous chicken, which has proved lucrative to the farmers within the County.

Alice Akinyi, a poultry farmer in Kajulu could not hide her joy when the chicken basket team; a poultry value chain actor visited her homestead on  Monday  last week to purchase her broilers at a cost of Ksh. 550 each.

She received 200-day old broilers from the County livestock directorate on 24^th April this year and had attained table weight just in two months.

“I am happy, I love chicken raring since they mature very fast and you can still engage in other economic activities alongside it. The droppings from the poultry has also enriched my kitchen garden, I don’t buy vegetable from the market anymore” she said

Mr. Evans Gichuru, a resident of Kisian and a second-year student at Maseno University, taking Special Needs Education, deferred his studies due to lack of fees and found a solution when he attended an agricultural meeting held by the County and FAO on poultry keeping. He became a beneficiary of 103- day old chicks two months ago, and are almost ready for the market.

“I decided to keep poultry to raise my college fees. It is a profitable project that any youth can venture into and it is easy to manage” he said.

In a bid to encourage more youths to venture into the project, the directorate also supported PASU youth group in Kaloleni by constructing for them of a poultry cage to the tune of 1.2million, supplied 1,000 day -old broilers each purchased at Ksh. 150, feeds and a deep freezer to preserve the chickens during marketing.

Timon Ogunde the chairperson of PASU youth group in Kaloleni said they took up the project to engage in a profitable business  and that in the future they plan that every member of the group will have his/her own poultry and that they will share the proceeds of the same after expanding the business.

Persons with disability are also not left out in this business, Mr. Peter Osano (hearing impaired) received 100-day old chicks two months ago and they are almost attaining the market weight.

“I love keeping poultry for income, I keep many in the village and I thank the county for their support in this project” he expressed in sign language.

The project targets to improve the livelihoods of the women, Youths and the vulnerable across all the sub counties. So far, Ksh 1, 195,350 has been spent to supply day old chicks, to the targeted group in Kisumu central, Kisumu East, Nyando, and Kisumu west sub counties.

The Livestock production directorate has also partnered with the Chicken basket, a poultry value chain actor based in Kisumu to supply feeds, extension services, vaccination and ready market when they attain table weight approximately 1.7- 2kgs within three months.

By: Emily Mikwa

Madam Alice Akinyi , a poultry Farmer in Kajulu, holding her two months broiler chicken ready for marketing by the chicken basket team (photo by: Jacob Owiti)

The Chicken basket team visiting madam Alice to pick poultry ready for marketing

Mr. Evans Gichuru, Maseno University Student raising his college fees by keeping poultry (photo by: Jacob Owiti)

Mr. Peter Osano (hearing impaired) a poultry farmer at West Kenya Deaf Educational center in Kisumu (photo by: David Wadulo)

The sub county livestock officer Kisumu East, Mr. Tobias Omune inspecting the two weeks old chicks belonging to the PASU youth group in Kaloleni (photo by David Wadulo)

County livestock officers, Madam Emily Ingaiza and Madam Anne Ouma handing over a de beaker to a poultry farmer in Sinyolo (photo by: Jacob Owiti

The County department of Agriculture and livestock today issued 24 dairy cows at  a cost of 3.1 million to be distributed across the 7 sub-counties.

Speaking during the flagging off of the distribution exercise, the County Minister for Agriculture and livestock Mr. Gilchrist Okuom stated that the county government has invested in Agriculture and livestock production as a way of improving livelihoods.

The County Minister also acknowledged that the department has concentrated on the high potential areas such as South East Nyakach Ward in Nyakach Sub County which he said has presented a positive performance in dairy farming.  Mr. Okuom congratulated the Member of County Assembly for southeast Nyakach, Hon. Johnson Guya for the continuous investment in dairy farming through development funds to the benefit of the ward, adding that the Southeast Nyakach is the model ward in the county in  dairy farming and promising that the department will work together to support dairy farming in the area.

Mr. Okuom confirmed that the  previous herd of livestock issued to farmers are healthy and he advised farmers to change from traditional cattle to grade cows as a means to improving livelihoods.  “In the face of livestock theft, dairy cattle are the best alternative to the people of Nyakach and also a means to maximizing profits due to its value addition.”

Hon. Guya was confident that the cows were of the best quality, adding that the dairy cattle’s profitability outweighs traditional cattle farming in the area. He urged the department to strengthen Artificial Insemination (AI) to support dairy farming in Nyakach.

The event was attended by the County chief officer for Livestock, Madam Rosemary Raluoch, County director for livestock Mr. Charles Kakuku among other county officers.

The chief officer stated that the County government is committed to supporting farmers’ to improve the quality of dairy production, adding that the department  has put in place a follow-up  mechanism to support the farmers through extension services, monitoring and evaluation.

Mr. Akuku also affirmed that the cows are healthy and will be due for calving in the next 4 to 5 months

The team encouraged farmers to focus on the value addition of dairy products through the formation of cooperatives.

By Matilda Atieno

CEC Member for Agriculture and livestock, Mr. Gilchrist Okuom flag’s off the distribution of dairy cows at Mamboleo ASK show ground in the company of Hon. Johnson Guya MCA of Southeast Nyakach Ward in Nyakach Sub-County (Picture by David Wadulo)

The Department of Agriculture  received 20 wash tanks each carrying 500litres from One Acre Fund in a bid to promote hand washing which is one of the key basic hygiene measures during this time of the Covid -19 pandemic

While receiving the tanks, the Chief Officer Agriculture, Dr. Omanga thanked the One Acre Fund for their generous donations led by Mr. David Owino and Lavender Mukhanzi from the Government Liaison department.

He also commended them for the support they have continued to relay to the small holder farmers across the county through financial support to improve food security and economic empowerment.

Dr. Omanga reiterated that their services will still come handy even as the department is currently working on a post flood food security strategy, now that flood victims are gradually getting back to their homes.

On this regard, department is set to provide the people with fast maturing African leafy vegetables seeds for food and for sale.

One Acre Fund is an agricultural service provider with its branch in Kisumu for the past 8years.They currently work with 13, 420 registered small holder farmers across the county to improve livelihoods on food security.

They also provide farm inputs to farmers through loaning which is payable within one year. The inputs totals to Ksh. 134,926,092 these include maize seeds, fertilizers for planting and top dressing, sorghum, pulses, onions, assortment of vegetables and poultry.

Department of Agriculture led by the Chief Office, Dr omanga receiving hand wash tanks donated by One Acre Fund led by Mr. david Owino

County Department of Agriculture has put in place strategies to raise productivity in food production that would not only  ensure food security, but also potentially alleviate poverty among households amid the floods and corona-virus pandemic.

As a result of the impact of floods, farming has been concentrated on the hilly areas such as Maseno, Nyahera and parts of Muhoroni where 830 bags each 2kgs of maize seeds, 1,500 bags of top dressing fertilizer and fall army worm pesticides have been distributed to farmers to boost production.

222 dairy goats were recently distributed to farmers across the 7 sub counties in Kisumu to restore livelihoods and combat critical levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in the wake of floods and Covid -19 pandemic.

In promoting horticulture, South East Nyakach has received 6,400 mango seedlings, 6,600 avocado seedlings and a variety of indigenous vegetables.

Further, 1,500 coffee seedlings of Batiang and Robusta varieties have also been distributed in South East Nyakach, another batch of 2,600 coffee seedlings of Arabica variety has been distributed in Kajulu, Seme and Kisum west courtesy of Agriculture Food Authority ( AFA).

So far 12 tons of conventional cotton, 380kgs of non- Bt hybrid and 140 kgs of Bt hybrid seeds have been distributed to the cooperatives within the county awaiting planting come January in the 1,000 acres slotted for cotton production.

Currently, about 560 bags of rice seeds each weighing 3kgs and fertilizers have been purchased and kept in stores awaiting distribution to the farmers come the month of June to revive rice farming in the flood affected areas after it subsides.

The aim is to build resilience of farmers against the effects of climate change and increase productivity in the targeted small holder farming envisaging transitioning of the County from a net importer to food sufficiency for local consumption and the export market.

This is expected to be achieved by expanding the knowledge and skills of farmers to transform agriculture from a low income, low efficiency and low technology sector to a vibrant modern sector supporting value addition through scientific and technological innovation, improved extension services and credit provision to transform agriculture from the old man’s job to a career of choice.

Ms-Peris-Akinyi one of the beneficiaries of county rice seeds and fertirlizer subsidies transplants rice at her paddy at Kore scheme in Ombeyi

Deputy Governor, Dr. Owili Issuing a cheque to one of the community common interest groups on value chains for chicken, cassava and sorghum

A Maize farm in Nyahera, Kisumu West Sub County one of the Kisumu food baskets