Poultry Production & Value Addition

Problems facing Poultry Industry in Homabay County
1. High Feed Cost: Many famers do not use commercial concentrates
2. Low Quality of feeds in the market, leading to low production
3. High disease and parasite incidences, especially with the exotic breeds, leading to big losses.
4. Poor marketing: Due to fluctuations of prices, exploitation by middle men due to lack of marketing cooperatives, poor access roads etc.
5. Unreliability and high costs in day-old chicks
6. Poultry production requires specialized skills in management which lacks among many willing potential poultry farmers.
7. High initial costs of housing and equipment
8. Competition for cereals with human beings
9. Low consumption rates of eggs
10. High price of poultry meat as compared to other sources of protein such as beef.
The problems facing local poultry Industry in Homa Bay County would be addressed through the following interventions;
a) Diverse Poultry Productions and Improved Productivity
Increased use of improved technologies and practices
Expand input supply system (e.g. on-farm feeds formulations)
Increased access to safe, nutritious feeds through poultry value chain
b) Inclusion of Women and Youth into Agricultural Systems
• Creation of jobs for women and youth in poultry value chain
• Development of women/ youth-targeted financial products or training programs.
c) Competitive, Inclusive and Resilient Agricultural Market System
• To increase local trade through integration of poultry value chain with fishing (e.g. establishment of local chicken feeds formulation using omen mixed with local traditional chicken feeds
• Strengthen markets for business development services and poultry value chain.
• Expansion or upgrading of on-farm feeds production.