Emmanuel Ragot is an accountant by profession but he chose to pursue poultry farming.
The 29-year-old left his accounting job to be an improved Kienyeji poultry farmer in Homa Bay County.
Ragot started with 10 birds but over the years, he rose to supplying 6000 chicks a month through a World Bank Program.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
Background
Before quitting his job, Ragot was working as an accountant for a hotel in Nairobi.
His tasks included paying suppliers, and among the suppliers was a poultry farmer who used to bring about 300 birds every week.
In an interview with Standard, he stated that when he compared his monthly pay to what he used to pay the supplier, he thought about getting into business.
Ragot immediately started doing research before he finally ventured into business.
“It was more of learning on the job. I visited a farm in Bungoma County and it is from that farm that I came with the basic knowledge that I got to start with, built over the years and I kept learning and sharing with other farmers,” he said.
He started with 10 birds which were at home an in two months, he had multiplied them and had 60 chickens.
“I sold them off and one of my brothers motivated me to consider it as a source of employment for me. When I went to buy the first batch of improved Kienyeji that we are now rearing I bought a total of 45 birds,” he said.
Next on his checklist was an incubator which he purchased two; each holding 528 eggs.
“That grew my capacity from the initial 45 birds to being able to hatch 1056 birds per month,” Ragot explained.
Ragot later started supplying chicks through a World Bank Program, and he would supply up to 6,000 chicks a month.
At some point, he was forced to outsource the chicks from other farmers die to the high demand.
Ragot has employed five people; one at his farm, two at his supply shop and two at his fathers farm who is also into poultry farming.
He markets his business on among other social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
“With the advertisements I am able to access markets within and without our county… The information about the hotels that are buying chicken and related products are readily available,” he said.
Ragot noted that he experienced challenges while starting off since it was difficult accessing loans from financial institutions.
“I had to provide a car that is not more than 10 years old, which I didn’t have at the moment or had finances to acquire one or else I provide land, that which I still didn’t have
“It becomes challenging for a young businessman in the agribusiness to secure financing from financial institutions,” he stated.
