Kirinyaga County Government is encouraging and supporting farmers to rear pigs as a way of increasing their income.
The County Governor, Anne Waiguru, said that the pig rearing project is part of the county’s empowerment program that supports farmers to diversify on their agricultural production, aimed at improving their living standards.
While inspecting one of the pig projects in Mutithi ward, Mwea East Sub County, Waiguru said that about 20 groups of farmers are to undertake pig production with the sole objective of providing alternative livelihoods and giving direct support to women and youth who will be engaged in various stages of the project value chain.
“We have 20 groups doing pig farming at the moment and we are giving direct support as a government in all stages,” she said.
The governor added that each of the groups has received one sow (adult female pig) and 15 weaner pigs that will be ready for sale after four months.
Waiguru said that there is a huge demand for pork in and outside the county and Kirinyaga has the potential of producing enough of the same that can even be exported to other countries.
She said that the project will also increase the county’s pig population by approximately 1,000 pigs within four months and by 25% annually.
Meanwhile, at maturity each pig is expected to fetch between Sh17, 000 and Sh20, 000 depending on weight.
The County has also created Kirinyaga Investment Development Authority (KIDA) which will assist the farmers in marketing the pigs.
The governor said that the pig project will be expanded to accommodate more farmers, adding that plans were underway to construct a pig slaughterhouse in the area.
“The project will highly contribute towards the county’s nutritional status since pork is a source of protein. It will also support the county’s economic development agenda as well as the Food Security pillar of the Big Four Agenda,” she added.
By Mutai Kipngetich
