Most young people no longer view agriculture as a viable and dignified source of livelihood. In fact, the average age of a farmer in Kenya is 60 years. This is not good news for the food security of our nation. Safaricom Foundation through the Wezesha program is hoping to address that by shifting the mindset of the youth and highlight opportunities in agricultural production to support their livelihoods.
In 2020, there was one universal catchphrase: ‘A bad year’. It was not an exciting year either for farmers. The pandemic interfered with the levers of the economy. Farmers who earn a living selling produce were affected. But 2021 is a new opportunity to try again. Farming is generally a beneficial venture. It can however be more lucrative or offer better outcomes. For this to happen, a farmer has to pick the right specialty. The following are six farming ideas we predict will prove lucrative in 2021.
It is important to recognize the dairy cattle herd in general and then the individual cows in particular for any health issues through attentive observation, touching, smelling and even by hearing sounds from cows. These are important points to identify health problems in the herd and to take appropriate action on time. This article will help you identify some of the most common yet fatal diseases and how to control and prevent them.
Dairy goat farming is increasingly gaining popularity particularly in the high potential areas where land for dairy cows is diminishing. The smaller land sizes cannot support dairy cattle, making the dairy goat a better option. Like the dairy cow farming, dairy goat farming requires proper and careful selection of breeds in order to yield good results.
Poultry farming can be a fulfilling and rewarding venture if done right. However, just like any other business ventures, it requires meticulous planning and research if one is to succeed. Here are some basic things that one needs to understand before venturing into poultry farming.
The quality of the pigs you breed determines how profitable your pig farm will be. Superior breeds furrow more piglets and pack more weight therefore fetching more cash. Selecting quality gilts and boars is make or break decision for a pig farmer that could either lead to bloom or doom of the farm. In this article, we outline factors you need to consider when selecting gilts and boars for breeding in your farm.
A calf is tomorrow’s cow. From the health point of view, the life of a bovine is divided into two parts; the first 24 hours, and the rest. The first 24 hours of life of a calf is so important that it has a strong bearing on the rest of its life. A calf not provided adequate care in the first 24 hours may succumb to diseases or will always remain weak and an under-performer, even though it has good genetic potential and is provided a good environment.
Farmers will find themselves looking for animals to purchase from time to time. The purchasing process is itself daunting and it helps when a farmer engages in the process from a point of information. Did you know that just by look at the physical features of animal you can tell a lot about it’s health? What signs you should look out for when choosing an animal to purchase?
Calf pneumonia is one of the most common calf problems in the farm, especially during the cold season as is currently experienced in the country. About 67% of pneumonia cases affect calves less than three months old. The early months of a calf’s growth affect its lifetime performance. If stunted during this time chances are that the calf may not reach its full performance potential later in life making the farmer to incur losses.
Except for a few feed manufacturers who keep to the standards in poultry feed formulations, many feed companies make very poor quality feeds, a situation which has led huge losses. Poor quality feeds lead to a slow growth in chickens, low egg production, diseases or even death. Making poultry feeds on the farm is one of the best ways to maintain quality and cut the cost of production.