Youth groups in Kibera have been challenged to venture into the lucrative business of pig rearing in order to address the increased demand of its products in the market.
According to one of the veteran pig farmers in the area, Ken Otieno, pig products such as pork and sausages are expensive and on high demand because of their nutritional value. He noted that the cost of feeding pigs was sustainable as they could feed on roughage, kitchen waste and even agricultural wastes, estimating that the current rate of commercial feeds a pig can consume sh2, 500 from birth up to the time it was ready for the market. He added that the animals require minimum veterinary services as they rarely get sick.
''Instead of one shying away from keeping the animal because of the bad smell associated with it, they should manage them hygienically by ensuring that the environment is clean and there is sufficient supply of fresh water,'' he said.
Otieno observed that pigs grow faster than other animals as the gestation period is four months after which a farmer benefits from an additional stock. He, therefore, advised people to take advantage of this and turn their farms into pig hubs where they could make millions within a short period of rearing the animal.