Popularization of chicken production among smallholder agropastoralist women, Ethiopia
Name of sustainable practice or practices Popularization of chicken production among smallholder agropastoralist women, Ethiopia
Name of main actor Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Type of actors involved Smallholder livestock keepers
Livestock Species Chicken
Livestock breed Koekoek breed (crossbred of the Black Australorp and the White Leghorn breeds)
Country Ethiopia
Agro-ecological region Arid/semi-arid
Main feature of best practice Contributing to better animal health and welfare
Key features of livestock farming system Smallholder/community landless livestock keeping
Year practice/management strategies started to be implemented 2013
Key practices implemented to improve sustainability of livestock management In Ethiopia, chicken are widespread and almost every rural family owns chicken. Chicken and chicken products provide a valuable source of protein and income for the family. Although Ethiopia has a huge resource of poultry, the country is not getting the required benefits from this sector. Reasons for this are poor productivity of local hens and cocks, the production is not well developed to fulfill the demands, high disease prevalence for both exotic and local birds. Reasons for this are poor productivity of local hens and cocks, the production is not well developed to fulfill the demands, high disease prevalence for both exotic and local birds.
The authors conducted a survey among women pastoralists in Amibara and Afambo districts (25 participants in each) to understand the trends in chicken production and find solutions for improving sustainability of chicken farming. The respondents were asked about their farming practices (including chicken housing, inputs and income), frequency of egg sales, feeding practices, etc. From the total interviewed households which participated in the popularization activities 92.4 and 81.9% were women in Amibara and Afambo Woredas, respectively. No respondent in Afambo and 4.0% in Amibara districts kept their chicken birds with other animals. In both districts, only 22% of the respondents share the same house with their chicken. 81.1% and 76.7% of the respondents in Amibara and Afambo districts, feed their chicken three times per day respectively, while 18.9% and 23.3% provide two times per day in the same order. Adequate ventilation facilities in poultry house were provided by 100% and 92% in Amibara and Afambo districts, respectively.
Best solutions identified were the following:
• keeping Koekoek breed which is adaptable to the semi-arid and arid districts of agropastoral communities in Afar regional districts
• using ventilated housing for chicken that can be easily made from the available materials using plastics, wood and iron sheets
• walking of agro-pastoralist women to the market in shifts to supply all neighborhood with eggs
Key impacts of the best practices on sustainability of farming system Commercialization enhances the links between the input and output side of agricultural market. Furthermore, changes in the livelihood of the agro-pastoral in consideration of this project.
Although both communities had limited financial resources, they were able and understood the importance of proper housing for their chicken which could contributed to better health of chicken and improve quality of eggs. Keeping a local properly adapted to climate conditions allowed the agropastoralist women to worry less about the health of their chicken and have an opportunity to control their resources in terms of feeding and other inputs.
Constraints and opportunities observed during implementation of described practices Challenges faced that were mentioned by respondents included the following:
• infrastructural development for the agro-pastoral communities like access to electric power and transportation
• financial limitation in research and development to reach the intervention to number of societies
• limitation in research facilities like laboratories and training
The authors of this study concluded that agro-pastoral communities will be more productive if women engaged in back yard chicken bird production as:
• Koekoek breed is adaptable to the semi-arid and arid districts of agropastoral communities in Afar regional districts
• Poultry production at small scale level will create an opportunity for women access and control to resource
• Poultry production has contribution to families nutrition and as it is production system confined in specific area especially at back yard
level it will no created over grazing or other environmental factors
• Poultry products can generate income in a sustainable manner and can create an opportunity for stabilizing markets
• If there is a possibility to access stakeholders fund for the project to reach other agro-pastoral communities and create an impact in
livelihood of producer with availing the technology and contribute for food security, nutrition and create a market linkage
Contacts
Aklilu Nigussie, Email: aklil2002(at)yahoo.com
Website: www.eiar.gov.et
