By: Emily Mikwa
165 poultry farmers registered with Kisumu County Poultry Enterprise Cooperative Society (KICOPE), today received 13,000-day old chicks of improved kienyeji breed courtesy of the Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme (ASDSP).
The programme seeks to develop sustainable priority value chains namely: poultry, fish and cotton for enhanced employment, improved income, food and nutrition security among the local farmers.
Speaking while presiding over the distribution of the day old chicks, the CECM for Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock and Fisheries Hon. Kenn Onyango urged the farmers to take farming as a business.
He challenged the farmers that the chicks being given to them is a seed capital to kick start them and that they are expected to carry on with the business on their own after the first cycle, in addition to diversified farming for household food sufficiency and income.
Moving forward, the CECM promised to follow up on those who received the chicks and that only those who do their business sustainably will be the beneficiary of any partnership support.
On his part, the programme Coordinator, Mr. Isaac Dawo outlined the three value chains that the programme has prioritized within Kisumu County. These include poultry, fish and cotton.
He affirmed that the actors involved in the poultry value chain were trained on innovations that appraise their skills on activities that bring them income.
Mr. Dawo reiterated that those selected to receive the day-old chicks were those with the capacity to take care of the chicks. He called on them to raise the chicks, sell and plough back the proceeds into the business for continuity.
The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to transformation of crop, livestock and fisheries production into commercially oriented enterprises that ensure sustainable food and nutrition security.
Also gracing the exercise were ASDSP II County Programme Secretariat: The Business Development Officer Mr. Harrison Okello,
The M&E Officer Mr. Ouma Robert, Madam Esther Ouko, Mr. Brian Bodo from Livestock Directorate among other officers.
