Mr. Leonardo Kioko a trader and chairman of Majengo indigenous poultry traders in Majengo market, the second largest market in Mombasa County does not hesitate to narrate how slowly but steadily he has risen above the odds and challenges as an indigenous poultry trader.

Prior to being specifically a poultry trader, Kioko was an indigenous poultry farmer all his life. Kioko sources indigenous poultry from Magharini, Ganze, Kilifi North, Kilifi South and majorly from South coast (Kwale, Shimba hills,Lamu, Diani and Ukunda).

Before the inception of Pwani Commercial Villages for Markets Programmme supported by Tearfund and implemented by FCI, Kioko had challenges getting constant supply of the right quality and quantity of indigenous poultry from his common sourcing areas of Ukambani, Lamu, Shimba Hills,Lamu. Indigenous poultry from Magarini and Ganze only accounted for 10% of his stock

Since the inception of the programme in 2016, Farm Concern International in partnership with ADS Pwani and A rocha Kenya have been linking Kioko to farmers in Ganze and Magarini who as a result of capacity building campaigns have been producing quality indigenous poultry which are highly competitive. FCI has linked Kioko to thirteen (13) commercial producer groups in eight aggregation centers in Ganze and Magharini sub-counties who are practicing collective bulking and marketing.

Currently, Kioko purchases at an average of Ksh400 (USD 4) per bird from farmers and sells at an average of Ksh500 (USD 5) at the market making a Ksh100 (USD 1) per bird.

Mr Kioko has continued to make repeat business for indigenous poultry across the two years and has constantly grown his monthly units from 200 to the current 600 with 50% being sourced from Ganze and Magarini Sub-Counties earning him Kshs. 30,000 (USD 300) per month.

“I am very grateful for the linkages FCI has facilitated through the bulking centres which has also enabled me reduce my cost of doing business,” Says Kioko.

As a result of the established business relationship and market linkages, Kioko has gained a sizable and sustainable income which has enabled him to pay school fees for his siblings, relatives and children, invest in farming cowpeas and green grams in his ½ an acre farm, completed his building project back at his rural village of a permanent house and has currently saved Ksh. 20,000 (USD 200) in microfinance institution and the Majengo poultry association.

Kioko continues to campaign for market-led production to farmers as it enables farmers enjoy income from their farming business, while continuing to invite other traders like him to join the bandwagon of prosperity.