The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and the World Bank (WB) have partnered to triple indigenous chicken production to meet rising demand.
Karlo Director General Eliud Kireger said the country does not meet its poultry demand and hence the high imports from neighbouring countries.
Kireger said that for years, the research institution was unable to meet the rising demand of indigenous chicks.
“The World Bank has agreed to sponsor this programme and in the next six months we shall be producing over 240,000 chicks from 78,000 against a demand of 300,000 every month,” he said.
He noted that currently, the country produces 60 per cent of poultry meat and 50 per cent of eggs with the rest being imported from neighboring countries.
“The new indigenous chicken that we have introduced have the capacity of laying 230-250 eggs per year compared to the local one that lays around 100 eggs,” he said.
Addressing the press in Karlo farm in Naivasha on Saturday, the DG noted the cost of feeds is the biggest challenge facing poultry production.
On his part, Dr David Miano, who is in charge of non-ruminant research in Karlo, noted that many poultry diseases were viral and could be contained through vaccination.
“Majority of diseases affecting poultry can be contained through vaccination and we are working around the clock to produce more vaccines,” he said.
Miano admitted that the cost of feed remained one of the biggest challenges facing farmers, adding that they had identified black-soldier-fly as an alternative component for poultry feed.
