Farmers in Western Kenya are increasingly turning to poultry and goat farming as they seek to boost household incomes and cushion themselves against declining returns from traditional crops.
The shift was highlighted on Monday, October 5, 2026, during an exhibition organised by the Kenya Livestock Commercialisation Project (KELCOP) in Busia, where farmers were trained on ways to improve livestock production and increase earnings.
For decades, agriculture has been the main source of food and income for thousands of households in the region, with farmers largely depending on crops such as sugarcane, maize, cassava and cotton.
However, unreliable markets, fluctuating commodity prices, and changing weather patterns have made crop farming increasingly unpredictable, forcing some farmers to explore alternative income sources.
Improved chicken breeds and goats have emerged as some of the preferred options, with farmers saying the enterprises provide regular income while also improving household food security.
One farmer said poultry farming had become an important source of money for meeting everyday family expenses.
“I have started keeping chickens, and now I can get money and eggs. Even when a child is sent away from school because of fees, I can sell a chicken or eggs and buy a book,” the farmer said.
Besides generating income, the farmer said poultry had helped improve the family’s diet, as some of the eggs produced are consumed at home instead of being sold.
“Out of the eggs we produce, I keep some for my family to eat. It has helped my family get better nutrition,” the farmer said.
Officials involved in the programme said farmers who have embraced poultry and goat farming have recorded significant improvements in their earnings, with some reporting income increases of up to 500 per cent.
For some farmers, the livestock enterprises have grown from small household projects into businesses generating income from different products.
One farmer who began with a small flock of chickens has expanded the venture and now earns money from selling eggs, chicks and mature birds.
Another farmer said income from poultry had enabled him to finance other investments at home, including the drilling of a water source and installation of a solar-powered water pump.
The diversification into livestock is also creating opportunities for young people, who have traditionally been less involved in agriculture.
The programme is encouraging young farmers to adopt modern production methods, technology and value addition as a way of making agriculture more attractive and profitable.
“We have young farmers who had been left out of the agricultural space, but they have now come in and started implementing projects,” an official said.
Farmers in Busia and other counties across Western Kenya are receiving training and support from county governments through the KELCOP programme to improve livestock production, strengthen value chains and raise household incomes.
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