Meet Sylvano, Farmer Extraordinaire

While on their trip, Stacey and Sandy visited the farm of Sylvano, who is one of the original farmers P4P trained.

Sylvano is a retired teacher and was enrolled in a P4P poultry program.  In this program P4P makes an initial investment of 100 chicks, immunizations, and feed to help the participant get started.

Sylvano worked hard at the program, overcoming many challenges. Although he lost a substantial number of chicks in his first season he pressed on with guidance from Joshua, P4P’s Kenya Ag Program Coordinator.  Sylvano did not sell his chicks and now uses surrogate hens to tend the mature hens’ fertilized eggs.  His operation is very organized moving the chicks to different pens as they age.  He sells both chicken and eggs.

Eggs from Sylvano’s hens.

The cost of feed in Kenya has greatly increased resulting in several of the poultry farmers selling their birds rather continue breed them. However, Sylvano ingeniously overcame the cost of feed by using a rented crusher to mix his home-grown feed from his own crops.

Today, Sylvano not only raises poultry and sells eggs, but also raises a variety of other crops as well. His farm provides a model success story, and he gladly shares his knowledge with others.