Kakamega To Utilize Chicken, Goats To Improve Lives Of Rural Farmers

In efforts to improve the livelihoods of county residents, the Kakamega county government is set to distribute poultry and goats to farmers under the small stock programme.

Every household will receive five mature improved indigenous chicken and three female goats.

The distribution for Level one, who will also be pioneers of the programme, will target lead farmers from humble households who will be expected to take care of them and distribute the offspring to other farmers.

The lead farmers will be given a period of 12 months for the small stock to produce in order to distribute to cohort 2 farmers. The distributed small stock for level 1 farmers will be mature goats and poultry.

The County Chief Officer Livestock and Veterinary Services Barak George Otieno said the small stock distribution will be done on a personal arrangement.

‘We will involve all key stakeholders including the local leadership, members of county assembly and various stakeholders in the community to identify beneficiaries of the programme,’ he noted.

He said the programme is expected to be transformative since the enterprises need less labor, less space and their multiplication rate is faster.

‘So, within a short time, households will realize the benefits that will accrue and therefore they will be economically empowered and be able to sort out some of the economic challenges they have been having,’ he disclosed.

He said the county government will also introduce gala goats and dorper sheep to diversify the small stock so that farmers can realise their aspirations.

The Chief Officer also noted that the department will give priority to farmer field schools, and field days in the coming financial year to disseminate knowledge and best farming practices to farmers.

Source: Kenya News Agency