Makoyo farm: Where ostriches and emus roam and conservation comes alive

Low, booming calls and soft grunts fill the air at a quiet farm in Makueni County the unmistakable sounds of ostriches and emus. Here, these towering birds roam, feed and thrive, turning an ordinary rural setting into a unique sanctuary that brings the wild closer to home.

Farming ostriches and emus  outside their usual parks is increasingly becoming a profitable venture, offering students a unique opportunity to learn about wildlife conservation while protecting these birds from overexploitation for bush meat, eggs and feathers.

At Makoyo farm in Kasikeu, Makueni County, Humphrey Malinda, a local farmer, is conserving these vulnerable populations facing pressure from hunting and habitat loss.

“We began quietly in February 2024, from just a small pig farm, nothing flashy, only hard work, learning the soil, and dreaming of something sustainable. But my heart kept pulling me toward something bolder, something that could make people's eyes light up. So, we transformed it: ostriches first, then emus those towering, gentle giants that almost no one has ever seen alive in our region,” Malinda told The Standard during a visit to his farm.

The proprietor notes that these large, flightless birds of the ratite group are increasingly relying on human intervention for survival. He explains that emus, native to Australia, were imported from a South African farm, with domestication seen as a key strategy to prevent extinction due to hunting.

“The Sahara conservation states that the North African ostrich has disappeared from its range and its survival depends on us. Similarly, in Kenya the ostriches have declined and the intervention to conserve them and increase their number through production has been key,” he added.

According to farm manager Oscar Kaseve, the birds are a source of high-value leather, eggs and meat, and require less land compared to conventional livestock making them a viable option for farmers.

“Some of these birds like emus are very agile and elusive. They are very destructive when left in the wild. They cause massive human-wildlife conflict in agricultural landscapes by damaging crops. When contained in a secure place they can be productive. For some like the ostriches, one egg can feed up to 10 people,” Kaseve revealed.

Beyond farming, the facility is fast becoming a hub for conservation education.

Caroline Musyoki, a teacher at Christopher Kiamba Memorial School in Sultan Hamud, emphasised the importance of exposing learners to such initiatives.

“Many animals are extinct. We are teaching learners as future leaders on how to conserve, love nature and also connecting theoretical learning and reality,” she said during a school tour.

Malinda believes birds are often overlooked in conservation conversations, but equipping learners with this knowledge could shift that narrative.

“As Kenya fine-tunes its Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, conservation must rise and become a central focus of how we educate our young people. Our environment is not just a subject outdoors; it is a classroom for life. From forests, wetlands, birds to community action and climate resilience, education should empower learners with the skills to protect the planet as part of their everyday competencies,” he said.

One of the more striking scenes at the farm is watching Josephine Wanza, a worker, feed ostriches with stones and pebbles—an essential part of their diet.
Wanza explains that the stones act as natural grinders, helping the birds crush and digest food such as leaves and grass.

Looking ahead, Malinda plans to expand the farm by introducing more wildlife species, with a vision of creating a space where conservation, tourism and community livelihoods intersect.
“I picture the future of the farm becoming a beating heart for jobs that stay local, for education that sparks lifelong curiosity, for mental peace that so many of us quietly crave. We'll grow into a true destination, exotic wildlife experiences and blend the view with giraffes, among other wild animals to make a bigger enclosure for public exhibition and breeding zone for conservation purposes,” he said.