Agriculture

Diploma in Poultry Management

The Diploma in Poultry Management is a TVET CDACC-accredited programme listed on KUCCPS under the Agricultural Sciences and Related cluster. It trains professionals in modern poultry production and management for both small-scale and commercial enterprises.

The curriculum covers poultry breeding and genetics, nutrition and feed formulation, housing and environmental management, health and disease management, biosecurity, egg and meat production systems, poultry processing and quality control, poultry economics and marketing, and agribusiness planning. The programme combines scientific knowledge with practical farm management skills.

Kenya's poultry industry is one of the fastest-growing agricultural subsectors, driven by increasing demand for eggs and chicken meat, urbanisation, and growing investment in commercial poultry production. The government's focus on food security and agricultural commercialisation under the Big Four Agenda has further boosted the sector.

Training combines classroom theory with practical sessions at poultry farms and agricultural training institutes. Students participate in flock management, feed formulation, vaccination programmes, and business planning exercises. Industrial attachment at commercial poultry farms or hatcheries is a core component.

Graduates work as poultry farm managers, hatchery supervisors, feed mill supervisors, poultry extension officers, and poultry agribusiness entrepreneurs with commercial farms, hatcheries, feed manufacturers, and agricultural organisations, with progression routes to degree programmes in animal science or agriculture.

Skills RequiredPoultry Flock ManagementFeed Formulation and NutritionPoultry Health and Disease ManagementBiosecurity ImplementationHatchery OperationsPoultry Housing DesignEgg Production ManagementMeat Production and ProcessingPoultry Business PlanningQuality Control in Poultry ProductsKey SubjectsPoultry Genetics and BreedingPoultry Nutrition and Feed FormulationPoultry Housing and Environmental ManagementPoultry Health and Disease ManagementEgg Production

Duration: 18 months to 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 101,400
Private, up to: Ksh 120,000
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 25 students
Award: Diploma

What you study

10 subjects

Poultry Genetics and Breeding
Poultry Nutrition and Feed Formulation
Poultry Housing and Environmental Management
Poultry Health and Disease Management
Egg Production and Management
Meat Production and Processing
Poultry Economics and Marketing
Biosecurity and Food Safety
Poultry Farm Management
Agribusiness Planning and Entrepreneurship

Modules

10 in the programme

Poultry Nutrition and Feed Formulation
Year 1Semester 18 creditsCore
Core unit on poultry nutrition principles, feed ingredients, ration formulation.
Poultry Genetics and Breeding
Year 1Semester 18 creditsCore
Core unit on poultry genetics, breeding systems, breed selection for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Introduction to Poultry Science and Communication
Year 1Semester 16 creditsCore
Foundation unit covering poultry industry overview, communication skills for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Entrepreneurship Education
Year 1Semester 12 creditsCore
Business planning and enterprise skills for enterprise development, business planning, and venture creation skills.
Information Communication Technology
Year 1Semester 12 creditsCore
Computer applications and digital literacy for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Poultry Health and Disease Management
Year 1Semester 210 creditsCore
Core unit on poultry diseases, vaccination programmes, biosecurity for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Poultry Housing and Environmental Management
Year 1Semester 26 creditsCore
Core unit on poultry housing design, ventilation, temperature control for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Egg and Meat Production Systems
Year 2Semester 18 creditsCore
Core unit on commercial layer and broiler production systems for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Poultry Processing, Quality Control and Marketing
Year 2Semester 18 creditsCore
Core unit on poultry processing, product safety, quality standards for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Poultry Farm Management and Industrial Attachment
Year 2Semester 210 creditsCore
Core unit on poultry business planning, financial management for professional practice and competency development in the field.

Specialisations

Layer Production Management
Managing commercial egg production systems including flock management, nutrition, and egg quality control, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Broiler Production Management
Managing commercial broiler production including growth performance, feed conversion, and processing, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Hatchery Operations
Managing poultry hatchery operations including egg incubation, chick handling, and biosecurity, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Poultry Feed Manufacturing
Formulating and manufacturing poultry feeds, quality control, and feed mill management, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

A day as a student

A typical day combines theory lectures on poultry nutrition, breeding, or disease management with practical sessions at the training farm. Students manage flocks, formulate feed rations, administer vaccinations, and monitor production parameters. Business planning exercises and visits to commercial poultry farms supplement classroom learning.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's poultry industry is one of the fastest-growing agricultural subsectors with strong demand.
Skills enable graduates to start their own poultry enterprises with relatively low capital.
Diverse career paths including farm management, hatchery operations, feed manufacturing, and extension services.

Against it

Poultry farming is vulnerable to disease outbreaks and market price fluctuations.
Requires commitment to biosecurity protocols and can involve working in farm environments.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 303 agriculture courses

Public90k to 101k

90k at Pwani University (regular diploma)101k at Pwani University (TVET diploma)

Private120k to 120k

120k at Finstock Evarsity College120k at Finstock Evarsity College

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

Pwani Univ 90K-101K/yr (pu.ac.ke). Finstock 120K/yr (finstockevarsity.com)

Students are eligible for HELB TVET loans (up to KSH 40,000), government capitation (KSH 30,000/year), and agricultural development funds.

Funding options

HELB TVET Loan
Government TVET Capitation (KSH 30,000/year)
Agricultural Fund for Poultry Enterprises

Scholarships

3 recorded

Government TVET Capitation
GrantKsh 30,000Kenyan
All KUCCPS-placed students in public TVET institutions.
HELB TVET/Diploma Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited TVET programmes.
Agricultural Development Fund
GrantKsh 50,000Kenyan
Students pursuing agricultural programmes, subject to availability.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C-
Alternative entry: Level 5 Certificate in Poultry Production or related agricultural field from a recognised institution.

How you are assessed

3 components

CDACC External Assessment
Examination60% of the mark
External assessment conducted by TVET CDACC at the end of each unit of competency.
Internal Continuous Assessment
Coursework20% of the mark
Continuous assessment by trainers including tests, farm practicals, and project assignments.
Industrial Attachment and Farm Project
Practical20% of the mark
Supervised industrial attachment at a commercial poultry farm and a farm management project report.

Accreditation

Accredited by the TVET Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (TVET CDACC) under the CBET framework at Level 6. The programme is listed on KUCCPS.

Accredited by

TVET Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (TVET CDACC)
Academic accreditationRequired
Statutory body for CBET curriculum development, assessment and certification of poultry management programme.
Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA)
Qualifications recognitionRequired
Recognises the Level 6 qualification within the Kenya National Qualifications Framework.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Poultry Farm Manager
High demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 85,000
Manages commercial poultry farm operations including flock management, feeding, health, and production monitoring.
Hatchery Supervisor
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 80,000
Supervises hatchery operations including egg incubation, chick handling, vaccination, and biosecurity.
Poultry Extension Officer
Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 70,000
Provides advisory services to poultry farmers on production, health, and business management.
Feed Mill Supervisor
Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 75,000
Supervises poultry feed manufacturing operations including formulation, quality control, and production.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as poultry farm managers, hatchery supervisors, and extension officers with commercial farms, hatcheries, and agricultural organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Poultry Production Records Software
SoftwarePrimary
Digital tools for tracking flock performance, feed consumption, mortality, and production data.
Feed Formulation Software
SoftwarePrimary
Software for calculating balanced feed rations based on nutrient requirements and ingredient costs.
Vaccination Equipment
Equipment
Vaccination sprayers, injectors, and eye-drop applicators for poultry immunisation programmes.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Poultry management is just about keeping chickens in the backyard.
The diploma covers commercial poultry production including genetics, nutrition, disease management, processing, and business management for large-scale operations.
Poultry farming is not profitable in Kenya.
Kenya's poultry industry is one of the fastest-growing agricultural subsectors, with strong demand for eggs and chicken meat driven by urbanisation and population growth.
You need land to study poultry management.
The diploma can be applied to various production systems including intensive indoor systems, free-range, and contract farming, which do not necessarily require large land holdings.
Poultry management qualifications are only for farmers.
Graduates work in diverse roles including hatchery management, feed manufacturing, quality control, extension services, and agribusiness consulting, not just farming.