Homa Bay executive member for Agriculture Joash Aloo with farmers during distribution of chicks and feeds at Kotieno village in Kasipul constituency/Robert Omollo
Youths and persons with disabilities in Kasipul Constituency have received support from the Kind Heart Organisation-Kenya to start poultry rearing for economic empowerment.
The young farmers, who operate in three groups, have been trained and supported with 1,200 chicks to start poultry production.
The three farmer groups are Future Seed, Kawere East Persons with Disabilities and Buoye Block Poultry Farmers.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mark Nyasoro, and Homa Bay Executive for Agriculture Joash Aloo presided over the distribution of the 1,200 two-week-old chicks, feeds, feeders and drinkers to the farmers.
During the distribution, each of the three groups received 400 chicks. They also received chicken feeds that will last for one year, as well as feeders and drinkers.
Farmer Brian Ochieng greets Homa Bay executive member for Agriculture Joash Aloo during chicks distribution in Kasipul constituency/Robert Omollo
The distribution came after the organisation built a modern poultry house for each group.
Nyasoro said their objective was to promote employment creation among youths, who have been disadvantaged by unemployment.
“The agenda is to empower the community by opening avenues for generating direct income. This poultry project will create employment directly and indirectly for the people in the area,” Nyasoro said.
Speaking to journalists during the distribution at Kotieno village in Oyugis, Nyasoro said they were supporting the farmers free of charge.
“We started this project by training the farmers on chicken production. Our donors from Germany have taken care of the expenses for this project, and the role of the groups is only to take care of their chicks,” he said.
Executive director at Kind Heart Organisation Mark Nyasoro and Homa Bay executive member for Agriculture Joash Aloo with Future Seed group in Kasipul constituency/Robert Omollo
He said their vision was to empower the groups to form a cooperative society with various value chains, including chicken rearing, feed formulation and egg hatcheries. This will be done through a partnership with the Homa Bay government Department of Agriculture and Livestock Production.
Aloo said many youths would benefit if they joined such groups. He said Kenya still had a deficit of eggs, hence the farmers would not lack a market.
“Homa Bay government will provide extension services to the poultry farmers. Extension officers will visit the groups and guide them where necessary to enhance production,” Aloo said.
Kind Heart Organisation-Kenya's Joyce Adhiambo said the training and preparations put in place would enhance the sustainability of the project.
“The knowledge the farmers have on this venture and the procurement done here will make this project successful,” Adhiambo said.
Farmers Eunice Mboya and Brian Ochieng from Future Seed group said the venture would help alleviate unemployment, which had affected them after completing their university education.
Mboya said most of them had been looking for jobs, including tenders, but had not succeeded.
“Our efforts of looking for employment have not been successful. I am happy this project is going to give us a source of livelihood,” Mboya said.
Ochieng said the project would provide them with a sustainable source of livelihood. He argued that it would cushion them from engaging in harmful ways of earning a living.
“Most of us are university graduates suffering from unemployment. This project will enable us to have a sustainable source of livelihood. It will also cushion us from economic activities which can endanger our lives as young people,” Ochieng said.
