Steve Kamwamu is the Managing Director of Kamsa Poultry, a business that has been in existence for the last nine years. Steve started his poultry farming venture in 2014 out of a need to address the unavailability of nutritious foods in his community. Additionally, he had a personal desire to become a business person, and chicken farming presented a viable opportunity.
Initially, Steve started chicken rearing as a side hustle, but he soon realized its potential money wise. He quit his job at a milling company to concentrate on his new venture fully. However, starting off was not easy as he lost most of his chicken. Through the journey of raising these 20 chicks, Steve learned about commercial hatcheries that incubate and hatch eggs.
Steve noted that he majored in egg production as the sale of eggs is consistent compared to the sale of chicken meat. He realized that selling of chicken meat was seasonal and it would go up during specific times, such as holidays and festive seasons. Steve had a unit of 5,000 egg laying birds producing 145 trays of eggs daily as of 2021.
Despite the success, Steve spoke about the challenges he faced in the poultry business. One of the major challenges affecting the sector is the management of pests and diseases, with most of these diseases having a high mortality rate. Steve noted that disease outbreaks come even if you’ve done everything right, and it is essential to prepare for them. Other challenges include the unavailability of inputs such as feeds and vaccines.
In conclusion, Steve Kamwamu’s journey in poultry farming is one of resilience and determination. He overcame challenges such as disease outbreaks and loss of chickens to create a thriving business that has sustained itself for the last nine years. Steve’s emphasis on egg production as a reliable source of income is a valuable lesson for anyone interested in poultry farming.
