Nandi County empowers poultry farmers through training program in Kenya

KENYA – Kenya’s Nandi County Department of Agriculture and Cooperatives Development has launched a comprehensive Training of Trainers (ToT) initiative to enhance regional poultry production. 

The program, which focuses on lead poultry farmers, is designed to equip them with essential skills and knowledge, enabling them to improve poultry farming practices and share their expertise with their peers.

In a recent training session held in Tuloi, Chesumei Sub-County, participants received practical instruction on key aspects of poultry farming, including disease management, housing, incubation, and hatching. 

These topics are crucial for farmers looking to improve productivity, reduce losses, and increase profitability.

One of the primary challenges in poultry farming is disease management, as poultry diseases can result in significant losses for farmers. 

The training emphasized the importance of maintaining biosecurity, following vaccination schedules and implementing good hygiene practices to protect flocks from disease. 

The program aims to reduce the high mortality rates often associated with disease outbreaks by equipping farmers with the skills to identify and manage common poultry diseases.

Proper housing is another critical factor in successful poultry farming. Farmers were trained in constructing durable, cost-effective poultry houses that provide adequate ventilation and protection from predators and harsh weather. 

Regular cleaning and maintenance of poultry houses were also highlighted as essential to preventing the buildup of harmful bacteria and parasites.

The training also focused on the intricacies of incubation and hatching, teaching farmers how to optimize conditions for egg incubation and ensure high hatchability rates. 

This knowledge is especially valuable for farmers aiming to scale their operations by increasing the number of chicks they can produce.

The ToT program is part of a broader effort to revitalize Kenya’s poultry sector, which has faced several challenges in recent years. 

A shortage of day-old chicks has led to operational difficulties for farmers. The country’s domestic poultry production only meets around 60% of its demand for chicken meat and 50% for eggs. The remainder is imported from neighboring countries such as Tanzania and Uganda. 

Joseph Karuri, chairman of the Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers, highlighted the impact of the chick shortage on farmers and predicted that the issue could drive up egg prices soon. The ToT initiative is seen as a vital step in helping farmers overcome these challenges by improving their production efficiency.

The Nandi County Department of Agriculture’s focus on organizing farmers into Common Interest Groups (CIGs) and Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) further strengthens the impact of the training program. 

These groups enable farmers to pool resources, access services, and secure better market opportunities. While challenges such as access to finance and market linkages persist, the program has laid a solid foundation for sustained growth in the region’s poultry industry.

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.