V. A. Kumtakar and P. Kumtakar

At the outset, we wish to compliment Sonaiya et al. (1999) for their introductory paper to this Electronic Conference giving vividly the entire scenario of rural family poultry and various practices followed in various countries. Free communication 5 by Rangnekar and Rangnekar (1999) was also very informative and interesting.

We have been into rural family poultry and development and the women's issues contained therein in central India. Rural family poultry (RFP) which is primarily an income generating activity is an integral part of any poverty alleviation programme in the rural context in India. We cannot undermine an Indian village which is a complex land-livestock-vegetation system in which the land sub-system, the water sub-system, the livestock sub-system and the energy sub-system all interact with each other. The purpose of any development plan including RFP should be to bring about a holistic enrichment of the entire village itself without destroying the synergy between the various sub-systems. However, considering the vastness these topics involve, we are restricting this paper to RFP in the tribal areas of central Madhya Pradesh, on the basis of study conducted in 39 villages of three districts involving 300 respondents and their family members.

The time is now perhaps ripe to commence pilot projects in rural poultry development in selected areas. These pilot projects, which should be area-specific, must be carefully devised to meet specific needs of the local populations.

The state of Madhya Pradesh (M.P.) in central India occupies an important place in tribal India. The tribal population of 15.4 million in M.P. accounts for nearly one-fourth of the total tribal population of 60.7 million in India. Within the state itself, tribals constitute about 23.3 percent of the total state population of 66.1 million spread over 0.443 million square kilometres. This tribal population is scattered over nearly 41 percent (0.18 million sq. kms.) of the state area. Of the nearly 78,950 villages (459 Blocks) in M.P., 30,000 villages (176 Blocks) [38 percent] have predominantly tribal population (Hasnain, 1996; Shrivastava, 1998-99).

Of the total 60.7 million tribal population in India comprising over 500 tribes, 6.7 million 'Gonds' constitute nearly 44 percent and 3.1 million 'Bhils comprise 21 percent (Tiwari and Sharma, 1994). Madhya Pradesh has nearly 46 tribes (Anonymous, 1994); 'Gonds' within themselves have nearly 54 sub-tribes (Tiwari and Sharma, 1994; Hasnain, 1996; Shrivastava, 1998-99). Thus, the name of this area in central India, "Gondwana", derives from this situation.

The main occupation of these tribals was hunting, collecting forest products and specializing as 'Tendu Patta' (beetle leaves) collectors. With the Government restriction, the hunting activity has been curtailed. The land holding being small (with single cropping system in most rainfed areas) and reducing with each generation, the tribal households depend on non-farm activities for supplementary income that includes cattle rearing, sheep rearing, piggery and poultry. Some of them migrate to urban areas in search of wage employment for livelihood security.

Rural family poultry (RFP) are reared on a small-scale within a limited area in the backyards of village households, with a number of birds ranging from 1 to 10. Birds are raised mostly in a scavenging system. They eat anything edible available in the backyard like insects, farm and domestic waste, leaves, etc. They move in and around the compound of household like any other family member and rest wherever they find a place. More than 65 percent of tribal families have poultry in small flocks of 4-5 birds per household in low-input/low-output husbandry conditions. Indigenous coloured birds are usually reared and preferred over the exotic white birds. These coloured are offered to the family God 'Bara Deo', during the festival time or as a sacrifice to cure diseases. Chickens are also relished as a festival meal. Thus, scavenging poultry are a part and parcel of a typical tribal household touching their social, cultural and economic live.

Back

Keeping RFP has been a tradition in the tribal families since time immemorial. RFP produce, being lower in quantum is almost all consumed at the village level itself. Products from both RFP and commercial exotic birds have been running parallel with its own market segment and specific clientele. But surprisingly it is only the commercial intensive poultry sector that has taken rapid strides in the post independent era. Egg production in India has increased from merely 1.83 billion eggs in 1950-51 to nearly 33 billion in 1997-98, placing the country in 5th position next only to China, USA, Japan and Russian Federation (Anonymous, 1998). Besides, India occupies the 22nd position in broiler production in the world (Sathe, 1999).

Ironically, the rural poultry scenario is dismal when compared to the commercial poultry. As per the 'All India Livestock Census', the number of indigenous 'Desi' birds less than doubled between 1961 and 1987, as against more than twelve times increase in the case of improved varieties in the same period (Rajan, 1996). The low productivity leading to low profitability in RFP was probably contributing to stagnation in rural poultry. Being a low output and less visible area of income generation, the departments and developmental agencies concentrated more on cattle rearing and crop production and, consequently, poultry development got the back seat.

All the improved technologies reached the urban populace and seeing this as a lucrative option, even the educated urbanites developed commercial poultry into a successful agri-business. On the contrary, those in the rural areas rearing traditional poultry in small flocks (i.e. 1-10 birds per household) for ages remained more or less with minimal or no development. RFP for the tribal families is like a 'reserve bank' to fall back upon in emergencies and yet they constantly live in a fear of losing the entire 'bank balance' when a disease outbreak occurs. A systematic and planned development of RFP thus holds a tremendous potential for growth in tribal areas.

Back

Though tribal families have a synergy in keeping poultry as a traditional custom, it has not been developed into a sustainable source of income. Besides, there has been a lack of literature, documentation or a systematic co-ordinated effort by agencies to develop this available synergy into a viable rural venture. Furthermore, basic problems that need to be addressed in RFP are:

• heavy mortality in chicks,

• disease outbreak in hens and their mortality,

• unbalanced feed for birds leading to malnutrition/undernutrition,

• low egg productivity,

• lack of veterinary services during disease outbreaks,

• lack of awareness and knowledge regarding poultry rearing practices.

It was therefore felt relevant:

• to study the existing RFP scenario in the tribal areas,

• to study the constraints in RFP rearing practices as enumerated by the rural population and their possible solutions,

• to create awareness and suggest simple low-cost management practices, feed formulation, vaccination schedules to develop RFP into a sustainable income generating activity.

Back

The study was conducted in the three districts of Madhya Pradesh in central India, viz. Jabalpur (Shahpura block), Mandla (Niwas block) and Chhindwara (Tamia block). These blocks were selected because of the presence of high tribal population. Three hundred respondents from 39 villages were purposively selected (100 from each district). Only persons having RFP were surveyed.

In-depth interviews were taken of the individual respondents with the help of a questionnaire. The data were systematically recorded, interpreted and analyzed.

Back

Data obtained among 100 respondents from each of the three districts revealed that 'Gond' was the predominant tribe in Jabalpur (44 percent) and Mandla (76 percent) while Chhindwara had 'Bharia' tribe (58 percent) followed by 'Gond' (38 percent). About 92 percent of the respondents kept 1-12 birds (58 percent had 1-4 birds and 34 percent kept 6-12 birds). The annual egg production per hen ranged from 30 to 60 in the area during the period of our present study, as compared to 75-110 eggs in western India (Rangnekar and Rangnekar, 1999).

RFP seemed to be an arena of women. They have total responsibility right from rearing of chicks to the sale of birds/eggs. Almost all (92-96 percent) of the procurement and sale of poultry products were done at the village level itself, market place and from farmer's house. The amounts accrued from the sale of birds/eggs, though small, were usually handled by women and were seen as a supplementary income by most respondents (82 percent). This seems similar to the tribal scenario in western India (Rangnekar, 1992). Besides, the reasons mentioned by women respondents in the three districts for not keeping a larger flock size of birds were the fear of mortality and the loss of the entire flock in the event of disease outbreak. They expressed that RFP is an activity involving minimum labour and time. Similar reasons for rearing poultry in tribal areas of both central India as well as western India were reported by Rangnekar and Rangnekar (1999). According to these authors, the reasons mentioned by RFP keepers were family consumption, sale/business (cash), celebrations/traditional rituals/sacrifices/curing diseases, interest/hobby and sport (cock fighting).

Our analysis reveal that almost all (99 percent) of respondents expressed their preference for indigenous birds over the exotic varieties, on account of following main features:

- easy availability,
- easier to look after,
- tastier and more nutritious,
- better adjustability to local environmental conditions,
- low egg production but birds are hardier in nature,
- better brooding hens,
- more demand and birds fetch higher prices,
- more familiarity for rearing indigenous birds.

Some of these features were reported in western India (Rangnekar and Rangnekar, 1998; Rangnekar and Rangnekar, 1999).

Surveyed RFP keepers expressed that they sell more cockerels (62 percent of the respondents) followed by eggs (20 percent) and lastly hens (18 percent). They treasure the eggs and hens - eggs for hatching and hens for laying and brooding. This, according to the farmers, would fetch them more revenue. However, the eggs and hens are sold in the event of emergencies. As it is, both eggs and birds of the indigenous stocks fetch a price one and a half to two times as that from the commercial exotic varieties.

The majority of respondents, ranging from 78 percent in Mandla to 97 percent in Chhindwara, fed their birds using locally available grains, viz. 'Kodo', 'Kutki' (small millets), broken rice and sorghum, while the rest offered the leftover food in the house. Feeding pattern was generally ad-hoc. It was expressed that the feeding was not with a view of giving supplementary nutrition but generally given in the evening to habituate and condition the birds to return back home. In fact, they felt that the birds manage to get sufficient food for them in the backyard.

Most respondents expressed that they spent annually between Rs. 10 to 400 (US$ 0.23 to 9.41) on poultry feed resources. They either bought out grains or calculated from their own source, using the market price. This feeding was ad-hoc. The supplementary income generated from the RFP per annum was in the range of Rs.100 -700 (US$ 2.38 to 16.47).

Back

Most of respondents expressed concern about chick mortality, in the first 30 days of age. Rearing of chicks in this period seemed to be the most delicate issue for tribal families. Malnutrition and undernutrition are seen to cause early chick mortality. An effective intervention in the rearing of chicks as well as an improvement in the nutrition of chicks would therefore be appropriate.

There were differences in the occurrence of ailments resulting in bird mortality. While Ranikhet disease (Newcastle disease) posed a major concern in Jabalpur (66 percent), the same was 22 to 25 percent in Mandla and Chhindwara. As expressed by the respondents, diarrhoea, worm load and heat stress seemed to be problems causing 32 percent (Chhindwara) to 47 percent (Mandla) mortality in birds. Large number of respondents either could not identify the diseases or expressed helplessness to combat the same. They said there was no veterinary assistance in the vicinity, and this was partly responsible for high mortality. The respondents in all three districts expressed that the predators were also causes for depletion in birds.

Back

During the in-depth interview sessions with the respondents, the promptness with which the following suggestions were put forth (ranking wise), were suggestive of the awareness of their long felt need for improving their present-day poultry status:

- Provision of vaccination and proper veterinary facility;
- Financial assistance for making meshed enclosures;
- Training in improved chick rearing, feed management and mortality reduction;
- Feed supplement to be made available in the village;
- Provision of higher yielding variety of 'Desi' (indigenous) birds.

Back

Madhya Pradesh is a backward state with a large percentage of tribals living below the poverty line. Nearly 70-80 percent of the households maintain RFP, which is typically an arena of women. What is really needed is (i) to improve upon the existing poultry rearing practices thereby reducing the mortality in birds and, (ii) to increase the egg and meat productivity by popularizing specially developed birds that resemble the coloured indigenous breeds. These would fit well into their traditional and cultural set-up and match their preferences and liking and, at the same time, give a higher egg yield and body mass.

At this juncture, we cannot resist quoting Prof. Gunnar Myrdal in his monumental work "Asian Drama", wherein he has rejected the thesis/strategy that the social fabric of the tribals should not be changed much. He continues, "If undue hurry will be very costly, lethargic pace will not show perceptible results. If 'revolutionary' changes are not desirable or possible, 'too slow evolutionary process' will not deliver the goods"

Back

• The existing synergy available in terms of experience, knowledge and interest in poultry rearing should be built upon;

• Systematic planning for capacity building must be developed to make the resources like medication, vaccination and low-cost feed formulation, available at the village level;

• Introduction of improved higher yielding varieties of poultry birds having physical characteristics similar to those of indigenous birds, to be popularized at the village level.

It is important to keep in mind that a tribal family looks for quick earning avenues for their livelihood security. This must be taken into account by planning a RFP project. In addition, to ensure a sustainable development for this subsistence poultry sector, a long-term objective must be adopted. We would therefore recommend the development of RFP pilot projects in tribal areas of central India in two phases:

Back

Phase - I
Through awareness programmes/campaigns and systematic training, bring in a qualitative improvement in the existing scenario through minimum inputs, viz.

• Introduction of creep-feeding (nutrition of chicks),

• Introduction of simple chick brooding practices to reduce chick mortality due to freezing/thermal shocks in the initial stage. In this respect, covering the reverse bamboo/cane baskets with cow dung and paper can give good results. Chicks can be kept warm by lighting a lamp or burning charcoal/wood cinders underneath the raised baskets.

• Vaccination of chicks against Newcastle disease (NCD) would drastically reduce mortality in birds. Prof. Spradbrow's thermally stable I2/V4 NCD vaccine could be useful, and till its easy availability, LaSota strain of NCD which is easily available in the market though in larger dose vials, could be made use of by maintaining a reduced temperature in thermos flasks.

• Provision of economic night shelters to keep away from predators.

This would undoubtedly bring in added revenues as a consequence of reduced chick and adult bird mortality due to NCD/predators.

Back

Phase - II
Introduction and popularization of an improved variety of poultry birds as mentioned is recommended. The Veterinary Science Department of Jabalpur Agriculture University has developed Krishna-J, a synthetic layer bird (1983). It has an laying capacity of 110-120 eggs in free-ranging (scavenging) system with small supplementation and 200-220 eggs in the intensive system. Average egg weight is 48-52 g, with a tinted brown coloured eggshell. Body weight ranges amounts to 900-1000 g in 6-8 weeks. This bird is comparatively resistant to heat stress, spirochaetosis and coccidiosis under our conditions (Khan, 1983). Jabalpur Agriculture University is now experimenting with a cross of synthetic male with Krishna-J female, which will not only have the characteristics of high yielding variety but also have an added advantage of increased body weight and a larger shank length for improved flightiness.

Such an introduction of Krishna-J in the villages could be in 1:6 or 1:8 (male:female ratio). This would enable (1) availability of more eggs (protein) to the family, and, (2) have more chicks from the eggs through brooding by indigenous hens (obviously good layers cannot be good brooders and hence the utility of indigenous hens). Should the egg productivity go beyond the brooding capacity of local hens, an incubator that can hatch 100-120 eggs at a time and which can be operated by electricity, oil or coal/wood can be utilized. Such an incubator has been developed and tested in south India, which is priced at Rs. 8000 (US$ 188-190).

Back

With the right intervention leading to an increased production of eggs and birds, the problem of malnutrition will be overcome and would fulfil the long felt need of quality proteins to the tribal families. However, excessive production may necessitate building up of marketing linkages to peri-urban/urban areas. A need may thus emerge to form co-operatives/centralized marketing.

As of now, RFP is totally a woman's arena, wherein she uses the cash earned as she likes and exchanges her poultry produce for other necessary household goods (barter system). With the excessive production, it would be the menfolk who may take charge of marketing the poultry produce to peri-urban/urban areas.

Customarily, whenever there is a large amount of cash involved, the men take charge of the situation. He would receive and may retain the money earned from selling. RFP then may not totally remain a woman's domain and she may loose hold over a venture, which today she proudly claims as her business.

The brighter side of the issue is that the family will earn more cash, improve its nutritional status and jointly contribute to the venture, which will hopefully curb the migration of the families for wage employment. Success from such low investment ventures would lead to higher income generation, thereby inculcating entrepreneurship among the tribal families and motivate them to go in for higher investment opportunities like goat rearing, cattle rearing etc., leading to an improved quality of life.

Back

Anonymous (1994): Badlao ki or (Towards change), printed by the Commissioner of Tribal Welfare, Government of Madhya Pradesh, India, pp. 43-45.

Anonymous (1998): Poultry Advisor, Vol. 31, October 1998.

Hasnain, N. (1996): Tribal India. Palaka Prakashan, New Delhi, India.

Khan, A.G. (1983): Krishna-J-replica of Desi fowl: Proceedings at the Advance Level Institute on Technology for Utilization of Sex-linked Recessive Dwarfing Gene in Poultry Production, programme hosted by the J.N.K.Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, India.

Rajan, K. (1996): Constraints, challenges and suitable strategies for increasing poultry production in developing countries - Experience in India. Proceedings, Vol. 1, 20th World’s Poultry Congress, New Delhi, India, pp. 237-243.

Rangnekar, S.D. (1992): Women in livestock production in rural India. Proceedings, 6th AAAP Animal Science Congress, 23-28 November 1992, Bangkok, Thailand.

Rangnekar, S.D. and Rangnekar, D.V. (1998): Traditional poultry production systems and the role of women in parts of western India. Second FAO Conference on Tropical Feeds, Livestock Feed Resources within Integrated Farming systems

Rangnekar, S.D. and Rangnekar, D.V. (1999): Developing traditional family poultry production in tribal belt of western India. Free communication 5, this First INFPD/FAO Electronic Conference on Family Poultry.

Sathe, B.S. (1999): Poultry improvement from backyard to industrialization. Proceedings, Seminar on Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Profession - Past, Present and Future, 17-19 February 1999, Jabalpur, India, pp. 18-23.

Shrivastava, O.S. (1998-99): Tribals in Madhya Pradesh, Diwa Prakashan, Bhopal, India.

Sonaiya, E.B., Branckaert, R.D.S. and Guñye, E.F. (1999): Research and development options for family poultry. Introductory paper to this First INFPD/FAO Electronic Conference on Family Poultry,

Tiwari, S. and Sharma, S. (1994): Madhya Pradesh ki Jan Jatiyan- Samaj evam Vyavasta, Madhya Pradesh Hindi Granth Academy, Bhopal, India.

Back