B5CD Ltd is a private woman-owned company incorporated in 2015 that rears live chickens for sale in local markets and operates in Eastern Province’s Bugesera District. B5CD grows and sells chickens but was not buying chickens from smallholders until after CASA support. As consultants with a unique adult education approach (Training for Transformation), the three employees (one full-time) also provide training to promote community development in rural areas. The owner of B5CD is a poultry-rearing professional trainer, schooled through programs sponsored by RABwith the support of ENABEL. Through her experience, she is determined to support women poultry producers by increasing their revenues and improving their skills and knowledge in poultry rearing. 

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Contract Farming to Build Smallholder Access to Technical Services and Markets

This partnership was to demonstrate that B5CD’s poultry rearing, and contract farming model with a structured out-grower and training scheme, and integrated climate-smart practices is viable, scalable, and replicable for other SMEs. 

Through the 15-month project partnership (May 2024 – August 2025) – on a total budget of £89,289 of which £30,680 was provided by CASA in technical assistance – B5CD was supported to both highlight the sustainability of the contract farming model to other businesses and to present a compelling business model to potential investors.

Currently, B5CD is constructing three modern poultry sheds with a combined capacity of 3,000 birds per cycle, enabling production of up to 24,000 chickens annually. To accelerate this expansion despite ongoing loan repayment obligations, the company is about to secure a £26,000 subsidised loan and grant from the BDF-CDAT program. While B5CD has already met its co-financing contribution, disbursement of the grant is pending final approval of the site’s construction permit, a change in policy regarding the issuance of construction permits in rural areas causing temporary delays. The loan is intended to finance equipment for the hatchery that will produce chicks for distribution to trained farmers. These farmers will then rear the chicks and later sell the mature birds back to B5CD for domestic market supply.

The partnership with CASA has been instrumental in strengthening B5CD’s institutional and technical capacity. Through this collaboration, CASA supported BDO East Africa to help the company become investment-ready by establishing robust financial and fiduciary systems, and business plan development. CASA also helped in recruiting a poultry and out-grower trainer and initiating the training of 600 smallholder farmers. This process included farmer identification, mobilisation, and preparation for hands-on learning under formal out-grower contracts. Through its innovative out-grower model, the company organised and coordinated the 600 smallholders in Gashora Sector into 30 groups of 20 farmers each. Contracts with these groups have been developed, agreed and signed by both parties. B5CD provides training free of charge. 

To advance this vision, B5CD is in the process of establishing a farmer training centre on its land in Bugesera District. Key areas of focus include feed management, manure and wastewater management, responsible antibiotic use, and climate-smart poultry practices such as ventilation, daylight control, and water efficiency. In addition, B5CD will integrate its expertise in rearing Black Soldier Fly (BSF) as a feed supplement, training smallholders to produce sustainable protein feeds. Farmers will also learn how to commercialise chicken manure as a complete organic fertiliser. Training and input costs will be offset against poultry sales, ensuring a fair and transparent revenue-sharing model.

Updated: March 2026