The plan is to ensure that the devolved unit is self-sufficient in poultry products.
County Executive Committee Member for Business, Energy and Industry Alice Moraa says they have already signed an MoU for the joint programme with other stakeholders who will provide funding and training.
The deal was signed by the county government through the department of business, energy and industry, the department of agriculture, fisheries and livestock development with the Kenya Industrial Estates Limited, the Lake Basin Development Authority and Nile Poultry among other stakeholders.
The objective of the programme, the CEC said, is to transform lives through establishment of the Kisumu County Integrated Poultry Production, Management and Marketing System.
Kisumu County has rolled out an ambitious poultry project targeting to produce a million eggs a day and a similar number of broilers a month.
The plan is to ensure that the devolved unit is self-sufficient in poultry products.
County Executive Committee Member for Business, Energy and Industry Alice Moraa says they have already signed an MoU for the joint programme with other stakeholders who will provide funding and training.
The deal was signed by the county government through the department of business, energy and industry, the department of agriculture, fisheries and livestock development with the Kenya Industrial Estates Limited, the Lake Basin Development Authority and Nile Poultry among other stakeholders.
The objective of the programme, the CEC said, is to transform lives through establishment of the Kisumu County Integrated Poultry Production, Management and Marketing System.
It is aimed at self-sufficiency in poultry meat and eggs for Kisumu.
“The aim of the programme is to utilise the structures and partnerships that can boost production of poultry and poultry products to meet demand of the local market,” Ms Moraa said.
Under the deal, the county will mobilise 100 poultry farmers every month spread through the 36 wards. “The pilot phase of the programme will run for 12 months, after which it is expected to run continuously and sustainably,” the CEC says.
“We expect to train and fund 1,200 poultry farmers by the end of the 12 months,” she adds.
According to Ms Moraa, farmers will be trained by the Nile Farms and properly equipped with technology to enable them produce chicken.
Mr Amos Amenya, an agronomist at the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), says success of the project will depend on the breed of birds involved.
“We have two types of birds; the dual purpose which can lay eggs and meat. Then we have the layers – the pure layers; breeds that lay eggs. So for the success of the project, the planners must make a sound decision on the birds to be used,” Mr Amenya says.
He says, availability of resources to maintain the birds is vital for the success of the project. “Good production means there shall be cocks for fertilisation. Cocks within the breeds are vital as they will enhance breeding.” He says, proper training on poultry management and production is equally crucial.
Mrs Miriam Okeyo, the lead trainer and liaison officer in the project says: “To get to one million broilers a month after one year, we will train 100 poultry entrepreneurs per month, making 1,200 trained after 12 months.”
“Each farmer will start off with 500 chicks. With 100 farmers, this will give us about 50,000 chicks after the first production. We will build up the production from there,” she says.
According the State Department of Agriculture, a tray of eggs costs Sh340 on average, Sh40 more than in Eldoret Nakuru, Nairobi and Mombasa.
The current demand for chicken meat in Kisumu county is about 25,000 broiler chicken and 75,000 table eggs daily.
