Limuru residents have been advised to venture into rabbit farming as the industry has a huge market which is yet to be exploited locally.
Speaking from his office on Wednesday, Limuru livestock officer Joseph Mbugua said rabbit meat was now fetching good returns as opposed to previous years.
Mbugua said so far 500 farmers have benefited from a free rabbit rearing training that was rolled out in Limuru.
The livestock officer said that who benefited from the training should share the skills and knowledge they acquired so as to empower more people in the area.
Mary Kinuthia, a farmer from Kamirithu, Limuru said she has been rearing rabbits for five years and that they have formed a group of 20 people who have also trained others on the same.
She said they offer training on all aspects of farming including production, how to set up a rabbit farm, cage construction, farming levels and marketing.
The training sessions are carried out after every two months at a cost of Sh2,000 per session.
She explained that the group bought their first 100 rabbits which were a hybrid of Canadian Dorwan and Giant rabbits from Rabbit Breeders Association in Thika.
Kinuthia said that rabbit meat is not popular in the region but the few who have discovered its nutritional have embraced it.
She added that rabbit urine was also important for making organic fertiliser.
Kinuthia urged farmers to keep the recommended breeds of rabbits, go for regular training and encourage other farmers to venture into the business.
She said if more farmers diversified in the animals they reared, consumption of rabbit meat would soon surpass goat and cow meat in years to come.