Over 1,200 farmers from seven constituencies of Kisumu County are set to benefit from a Sh100m support from Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE) that will see the county stop relying on imported eggs and other poultry products from Uganda.

Over the last years Kisumu has been depending on eggs imported from the neighbouring country because farmers have been unable to meet daily supply demand of 750,000 eggs and 23,000 broiler chicken by consumers in the county.

“With the support, the county government is ready to fund individuals and groups of farmers interested in poultry production, thanks to KIE,” said Ruth Odinga, the county's special programme's co-ordinator.

 “The farmers will be trained by Nile Poultry Farms and Lake Basin Development Authority.”

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To ensure that farmers commit themselves, the money will be given to them in form of a soft loan which they will be required to pay back with low interest rates.

The project is expected to raise demand of more poultry products in the county as the American fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has promised to order poultry from farmers in Kisumu in order to provide them with a ready market.

The fast food chain producer has its restaurants in Kisumu’s United Mall and it has started working with the local farmers through placing orders for their chicken instead of sourcing them from elsewhere outside the county.

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“We hope the interest that KFC has shown in buying our farmers’ chicken will boost their income besides encouraging them in poultry farming,” said Odinga.