Manure Management Risks and Ownership of Peri-Urban Poultry Enterprises in Western Kenya

Abstract

Ownership profile and management practices of peri-urban poultry units in four urban centres in Kenya; namely Bungoma, Eldoret, Kakamega and Kisumu were evaluated. Questionnaire surveys and interviews were used among 475 farmers selected through snowball sampling. More women were reported to own peri-urban poultry than were men although most decisions were made through consultation at family level. Poultry and manure handling practices were found to be poor and varying across municipalities. There was no significant difference across the municipalities with respect to the way farmers kept poultry feeds (χ2 9, 0.616 = 7.2). Farmers kept poultry feeds either in residential houses, poultry houses, dedicated stores or given to the birds directly regardless of the municipality. Garden crops varied but most of the peri-urban poultry keepers grew leafy vegetables (χ2 18, 0.001 = 33.58). The study recommends that poultry farmers should use designated feed stores to avoid feed contamination and environmental pollution by feeds; Poultry manure should be stored under shade for at least three months; Transport of poultry manure should be in closed containers to avoid contamination of transit routes; Crops applied with poultry manure should be harvested after sufficient waiting time or properly cooked to control spread of diseases.