Chicks and chicken available for sale; 1 month old @ 300/- 2 - 4 months old @ 300/- - 600/- Quality formulated Feeds available @ 80/-/kg CONTACT - 0706805553 CONZEPHER RUTTO

Certified grafted purple passion fruit seedlings mature and ready for planting . price ksh 40/-/seedling CONTACT 0725422974 GILBERT LAGAT

Result areas being; 1. Business development knowledge and skills of the Priority Agriculture Value Chain Actors (PAVCAs) and Value Chain Organizations (VCO) enhanced 2. Marketed volumes of Priority Agriculture Value Chains (PAVCs) products increased 3. Resilience of Priority Agriculture Value Chains (PAVCs) businesses to environment and climate change enhanced 4. Agriculture business development policy and institutional environment for Priority Agriculture Value Chains strengthened.

PIGOHEVECO is a community-based organisation (CBO) with diverse interests in livestock and crop production. The acronym PIGOHEVECO is derived from the nature of its agricultural activities which include Pig, Goat, Hen, Vegetable and Cow milk production. However, not all the activities are collectively undertaken by the members. Founded in 2018, the CBO’s goal is to improve the socio-economic status of its members through investment in agribusiness for income and food security. It has 42 registered members, 36 percent of which are youth. The organisation is based in Matopeni/Spring Valley Ward, Embakasi Central Sub-county.

Poultry farming is an important economic activity in Kenya. It supports the livelihood of many rural and urban households as a source of income and food and nutrition security. Poultry mostly provides eggs and meat, among other by-products. Several farmers find raising poultry specifically for meat (broiler farming) an attractive venture. Broiler chicken generally grow fast (4-6 weeks) and provide a quick return on investment and opportunities for food security. It is one of the most vibrant livestock production value chains in Nairobi City, where the farmers are predominantly women.

Lack of the group to produce high quality dried flowers due to lack of better drying methods necessitated the innovation of galvanized solar powered pyrethrum dryer construction. Most of the farmers were drying the pyrethrum flowers on direct sun using nylon bags. This led to loss of pyrethrin content and hence low prices. The group was only able to get 1% pyrethrin content attracting a price of Ksh 200 per Kg of dried flowers. ASDSP II in partnership with County Government came up with innovations to address the problem. Introduced a Galvanized solar powered pyrethrum dryer which was installed at one of the members home, who agreed to give out ¼ acre for the institutional pyrethrum dryer to be constructed. The dryer is able to dryer a capacity of 500kgs of wet flowers in two days. This gives 125 Kgs when dry. With the use of the Galvanized dryer, the pyrethrin content has increased from 1%-2% giving the farmers Ksh.350. The dryer also serves as an aggregation area where the processor comes to collect the dried flowers.

The group was also a beneficiary of ASDSP II Innovation grant in 2022 and were supplied with 5,000 pyrethrum tissue culture seedlings. At least each member harvests 30kg/1/4 an acre/month but marketing done individually. Currently they have decided to aggregate their pyrethrum and are selling to PPCK expected to be delivered by the end of June, 2023. They will be paid according to the pyrethrin content unlike current situation where they were being paid a flat rate of Ksh. 230/= per kg. The group has also established new nurseries of P4 seedlings. This is aimed at boosting the acreage under pyrethrum.

During one of the Climate smart technologies trainings, ASDSPII invited VCAs from the Beaches among others who mainly use fuel as their main source of preparing meals and frying fish. Service provides from SCODE and a private service provider from Subukia were invited to train the VCAs with the expectation of linking the builders of energy conservation stoves with the VCAs. ASDSP II funded the construction of two stoves per beach to serve as demonstration to the traders along the beach. Later more fish traders constructed more stoves through the established linkages with the stove builders. A total of 18 stove pots were constructed to assist the fish traders around Lake Naivasha reduce wood fuel usage and eventually earn more. This led to reduced costs, increased competitiveness, increased turnover and improved profitability, reduction in the cost of fuel consumption thus reduction in the operational cost.

Kenyatta dam was constructed and handed over to the community to use it. The members decided to restock the dam so that it can also help to improve the nutritional status of the community members. Kimkasa is an ASDSP group which most of its members live along the dam. The dam wasfunded by ASDSP II and the County Government of Nakuru with 13333 fish fingerlings and the 15 HP Yamaha engine. This was to enable the group navigate easily in the dam and also to provide ecotourism to students from schools in the area. With this innovations, the group has been able to have an increase in production-from 120 kg valued at Ksh. 36,000/= to 600 kg valued at Ksh. 180,000/= per month. Reduction in post-production losses from 50 kg to 20kg per month due to value addition. Increase in income from the sale of fish Ksh. 36,000/= before the board was bought to Ksh.180,000/=. Have linked to Top market in Nakuru where we sale our fish

The group was issued with Tissue culture pyrethrum plantlets (5,000 seedlings) to multiply in the nursery and issue splits to the 18 VCAs (AM-3, FA-7, FY-2, MY-5, PWD-1) who are active received 2,900 material seedling and currently most of it is at production stage. The shortage of pyrethrum seedlings was a problem in the county leading to low productivity, ASDSP II in ASDSP II in partnership with County Government came up with innovations to address the problem. 5,000 High quality pyrethrum tissue culture seedlings were procured from pyrethrum processing company of Kenya (PPCK) and handed over to the group. The group established a bulking nursery and multiplied the 5,000 seedlings. After four months they splited the seedlings and shared amongst themselves each of 18 VCAs established a minimum no. of 4,800-5,000 seedlings of ¼ an acre (each seedling when split produced an average number of 18-22 splits=5000*18=9,000 splits/18VCAs=5,0000). Currently 4 acreage is under pyrethrum each producing 320kg per month. The VCAS sell their pyrethrum as a group to PPCK.

The group has 157 members (AF-138, AM-17, MY-1, FY-3), all of who are traders of fish. Mainly they are involved in fish processing at a small scale. The group was issued with solar powered freezer as an innovation to help then save on the cost of using electricity. And perverse fish during seasons when fish is in plenty as they look for market. One of the challenges the group faced was availability of cold storage facilities. The traders lacked chilling and cold storage facilities which results into post-harvest/fishing losses. This arose need for a cold storage, ASDSP II in collaboration with the county government procured a solar powered freezer equipment for the group which has significantly improved the shelf life of 14 days for 300 pieces of fish. With solar powered freezer ,it has resulted in increase in fish sale volume-The group members have been able to increase the number of procured fish stocks by 500kg per week valued at Ksh. 150,000/= from the previous 200Kg valued at Kshs. 60,000/= due to availability of storage and solar freezer (preservation facility). It keeps the fish fresh, change in income-Before freezer they used to store fish in a hired freezer at a cost of Ksh. 100/basin translating into an average of Ksh. 3000/= per month. Also, they have been able to increase fish sale volume by Ksh. 150,000/= per week from Ksh. 60,000/= which has increased their table saving volumes hence more income, Post-production-On average at least every member used lose 5kg of fish of fish value at 1,500/= per week due spoilage but currently this no longer happens since the freezer keeps the fish fresh, reduction in electricity cost- The cost of electricity has reduced by 40% from Ksh. 4,000/= electricity a current bill of Kshs. 2,400/=.

Kapchorwa youth group was started in 2010. It has 16 members (AM-2, FY-12 FA-2) The groups objectives included ; rearing poultry and planting Pyrethrum. Currently every member has ¼-1/2 acres of pyrethrum which is in production stage. Most members of the group are able to harvest 20 Kgs of dry pyrethrum per month. They sell their flowers to Kentegra where they are paid Ksh280-300/kg. The group has recently merged with Kiptagich pyrethrum group to form Kiptamalo Pyrethrum Cooperative. Capacity building has been done by the SPs on Good Agricultural practices, nursery establishment and management and production and maintenance of the tissue culture nursery and post harvest technique. The group benefitted from the Innovation of pyrethrum Tissue culture material, where it was issued with four thousand six hundred plantlets for multiplication in a group nursery. So far, each member has been able to get splits twice from the nursery and the nursery bulking site still has material to be multiplied during the long rains.

The organization has venture into commercial improved kienyeji chicken rearing and egg production. Through capacity building from ASDSP the organization has been able to achieve their target of 500 eggs /year (182,500 eggs /year) and 12,000 day old chicks/year which translates to a turnover of Kshs. 2M per year. Through this revenue, Cheboyo CBO has managed to purchase about 1.5 acres which they used to build an office and a poultry house with a chicken run. The poultry house within the purchase land is used to reared communal chicken by members, but all members have individuals chicken at their homestead. Marketing of chicken and eggs is done within the office premise, and the income is remitted back to the members. This venture has brought about a numbers of opportunities to the community; • Creation of employment to some members who are engaged in poultry activities in the enterprise (feeding of chicken, eggs collection, cleanliness of the premise etc) • Availability of the breeding stock to the community • Ease marketing of eggs and chicks to members and the community • Income generation and food and nutrition security to members and community. Through the ASDSP 11 capacity building concept, the organization has been trained on several aspects of poultry husbandry management practices (diseases control, feeding, housing, egg handling practices, hatching, brooding, business plan, marketing etc). This was done through the facilitation of service providers both private (Kuku chic) and public (department of livestock) by the ASDSP. Despite those achievements, Cheboyo Community Based Organization has put up some plans to upscale their enterprise such as; • Carry out on farm feed formulation, using locally available raw materials grown on their farms. This will reduce the cost of feeds. • Procure of an incubator with a capacity to hatch 1056 eggs and a stand by generator to increase the supply of breeding stock; this will be installed in within the purchased land where the poultry house is build since power supply is already connected. • Improve on linkages, networking and partnership to support their activities. Though the organization is progressing well, there are a few challenges which need to be address such as; inadequate skills on chicks management among members leading to high mortality rate, Low skill on on-farm feed formulation, diseases outbreaks etc

Adding a desmodium inter-crop into the farming system provides nutritious feeds for the dairy animals, reducing the need to find grazing, improving animal health and increasing productivity.It is particularly useful for zero-grazed dairy cows, allowing farmers to cut and carry protein-rich fodder from their own land.Beneficiary VCAs are able to reduce the cost of feeds by Ksh 150 per cow per day using the mix and increase the milk production by upto 4 litres per cow per day.Desmodium improves crop yields by improving soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. Its long, trailing vines also conserve soil moisture, prevent erosion by wind and rain, and contribute organic matter to the soil.

The organization has venture into commercial brooding of chicks from Uzima Ltd (Sasso breeds). Through capacity building from ASDSP the organization has been able to gain skills and knowledge on chicks rearing. Growth of the group 1st flock On 2023 May 03 through the ASDSP innovation concept, the group received 600-day old chicks (Sasso) from Uzima Ltd as the first flock from ASDSP II. The group brood the chicks up to 1 month sold at 300 chicks at Kshs. 300 @ translating to Kshs. 90,000. No mortality was recorded. 2nd flock After selling they bought 300 chicks each at a cost of Kshs. 105 as the second flock at a total cost of Kshs.31,500 with 3 bags 50kg Unga feed (chick starter mash) at Kshs. 12,300 totaling to Kshs. 43,800. After selling the chicks at 1 month, they realized a profit of Kshs. 14,200. 3rd flock In the 3rd flock they bought 400 chicks and successfully managed to sell 373 chicks and received Kshs.106,000. From that sum, they use Kshs. 27,000 (profit) to build a poultry house that accommodate up to 1,000 chicks. The profit realized in the 3rd flock was Kshs. 25,000 which they shared among 5 members each receiving Kshs.5000. The group resolved that for every sale of chicks 5 members will be receiving Kshs. 5,000 which will be used to purchase a she goat. 4th flock They bought 400 chicks in the 4th order, which are now 2 weeks old chicks awaiting to complete the vaccination before disposal at 1 month old. The group has really appreciated the ASDSP for supporting them with the first flock which serves as a starter capital. The group have realized that good quality chicks mature faster with low mortality rate. Marketing of chicks at one month is quite profitable. Marketing is also a core in this venture, which need to be look at immediately after receiving the stock. 5th flock They bought 1,000 chicks and already all have been booked by customers within and outside county.