April 19, 2023

EU and Kenya launch poultry centre project for climate-smart chicken breed

The European Union and Kenyan government have jointly funded a KSH 5 million (~US$37,000; KSH 100 = US$0.74) poultry centre project, which aims to breed new climate-smart chickens for the region, Farmers Review Africa reported.

The Kenya Agricultural Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) said that the 2,000-bird capacity centre will produce the new KC3 breed, which is well adapted to tropical climatic conditions and also more resistant to common infections than local birds.

The breeding and multiplication centre is located in Kakamega, under the Agrifi Kenya Climate Smart Agricultural Productivity Project, was built to accelerate the breeding of chickens and increase the availability of day-old chicks to farmers in several counties in Western Kenya, North and Central Rift, Nyanza and Kisii, where demand for white meat has increased in the past few years.

Dr Joshua Chepchieng, Kenya's Livestock Principal Secretary, said the KC3 breed grows and produces as many eggs as local breeds, while consuming less feed.

The KALRO improved breed takes only four months to reach table weight and point of lay, while the local birds, popularly known as kienyeji, take eight months, the government research organisation said.

Kenya produces 600,000 day-old chicks annually, but consumer demand is more than two million per year.

Dr Chepchieng said the centre can produce 19,000 chicks per month. Combined with another centre in Naivasha, Kenya will be producing 34,000 chicks monthly.

-      Farmers Review Africa