A non-governmental organization is training more than 16,000 poultry farmers in Homa Bay to enhance productivity.
The organization, Heifer International Kenya, is working with 25 field extension Officers to train the farmers on poultry keeping.
The organisation’s Livestock Production Officer Denis Ogaso said that through the programme dubbed Hatching Hope, the organization selected16, 000 farmers from eight constituencies in Homa Bay to undertake the programme.
Speaking when they met a section of the farmers for a sensitization programme at Rodi Kopany market in Homa Bay Town constituency Wednesday, Ogaso said the objective was to equip the farmers with modern methods of poultry farming.
The programme encompasses educating the farmers on modern husbandry through vaccination, proper feeding among other farm practices.
The farmers were sensitized through community farmer groups referred to as producer organizations.
Ogaso said they started the project after realizing that many farmers were keeping the birds without the requisite skills.
“Our survey shows that many farmers keep poultry without services such as vaccination and proper housing. They also left the poultry in free range system,” Ogaso said.
He said poultry farming is a lucrative venture if the farmers adopted modern husbandry.
Farmers who benefited from the training said the programme was an eye opener in poultry production.
Two of the beneficiaries; Caroline Achieng and Linda Juma said they hoped to improve their income from keeping poultry. “This programme will enable us to get more income than what we have been getting before,” Achieng’ said.
Juma said the extension services made them learn that there was a high potential in poultry farming. “The sensitization through extension services has made us realize that we can make a lot of money in poultry farming,” he said.
The organization is also provided the farmers with personal protective equipment against Covid-19 including hand washing tanks and masks.
By Davis Langat
