The Standard newspaper (19/05/2011)

Four years ago, Eunice Mutiso, 45, lost her entire flock of chicken, to Newcastle Disease, a highly contagious viral disease affecting birds and considered as one of the most deadly poultry diseases worldwide.

It was not the first time the small-scale farmer from Kyeni Kyamanzaa in Machakos had lost her entire flock to the disease that has no cure, but it may have been the last time for her and many other indigenous poultry keepers.

Although effective vaccines are available from large pharmaceutical companies, they are rarely used by millions of poultry farmers in rural areas due to various challenges such as lack of electricity, cold storage facilities, poor infrastructure and unfavourable packages for small flocks.