The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) is urging small-scale poultry farmers to adopt commercial farming through improved practices and innovations. One standout success story is Winnie Cheruiyot from Tumbelion village, Bomet County. Though a teacher by profession, she turned her passion for poultry into a thriving enterprise after starting with 300 Kalro chicks in 2015. Her success led Kalro to select her as a strategic multiplier in 2021, helping to distribute improved breeds like KC1, KC2, and KC3 across Kenya. These breeds are known for their rapid growth, early egg-laying, and high meat yield.
Thanks to Kalro’s training and strict adherence to biosecurity and vaccination protocols, Cheruiyot reduced chick mortality from 50% to just 5%. With strong market demand, she scaled up operations, brooding up to 10,000 chicks at a time and supplying regions like Bomet, Kericho, and Narok. She now works with major poultry firms and has expanded into hatching with a 528-egg incubator. Her chicken business has enabled her to earn significantly, invest in transport assets, and inspire others. Kalro sees her model as key to scaling food security and encouraging others to start small and grow steadily in poultry farming.
