KARI BETS BIG ON CHICKEN BREED A superior crossbreed of indigenous chicken has been developed, to withstand different weather conditions and also improve production. Christened, Kuku Kienyenji Special, the new chicken breed has taken Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) over 10 years to develop. Kari’s chicken project lead researcher, Dr Ann Wachira, says the upgraded bird is a mixture of indigenous varieties from various Kenyan communities. Dr Wachira says the improved Kuku Kienyenji products (chicks and eggs) are available for breeders at Kari’s Naivasha centre, which is in charge of the national indigenous chicken improvement project. She explains says the crossbreed produces more eggs, is heavier and matures faster compared to the original indigenous varieties. Creating awareness about this chicken to farmers at an agricultural exhibition, recently, Dr Wachira said the variety has reduced the maturity period from 32 to 22 weeks. She said cockerels gain two kilogrammes in four months unlike the ordinary breeds that take about eight months. She says the pedigree has great commercial potential to turn around the indigenous poultry sub sector to a multibillion industry. The birds are manageable for peasant farmers as they withstand common diseases than ordinary breeds. To avail the crossbreed for mass production Kari is selling fertilised eggs, cockerels and chicks. She says there is enormous economic potential for indigenous chicken farmers, noting 76 per cent of chicken reared are of ordinary types in the country. The exotic varieties account only at 23 per cent while the demand for chicken products, particularly the white meat is increasing in the consumer market. Kari estimates some 72 million chicken can be produced yearly and can generate Sh25 billion to the national economy. Currently, the chicken sub-sector is supplying some 11,000 metric tonnes of meat to the market annually, against an increasing demand. The need for chicken meat is growing, due to the health benefits associated with white meat and quality of the indigenous birds, she adds. To empower breeders, this Kari project is addressing the entire value chain with other sector stakeholders to build effective production of the new birds. These include quality feeds production, hatcheries, farmers training and provision of certified breeds and husbandry skills capacity building among other intervention measures.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 05:21:32 +0000
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