| Sumario: | Shortage of pullet supply and high mortality of local chicks arising from diseases and
inadequate feed were the main challenges identified through a rapid diagnostic survey on the
poultry value chain in Dale. Accordingly, women group-based commercial pullet rearing as
an input for smallholder poultry production was initiated by the Office of Agriculture and
Rural Development (OoARD) and IPMS. To develop the program, a credit scheme was
initiated using IPMS’s credit innovation funds. With assistance of OoARD, eighty women
subdivided into five (village) groups, collectively purchased 4000 day-old chicks (50/woman)
and other inputs such as feed, vaccines, hay box brooder and watering equipment. The
women were trained and developed their skills through their group structures. The required
vaccinations were also given by the women themselves under the auspices of the group
structures. After 4–5 months, 3470 pullets survived and were kept by the women or sold to
others for egg producers. Empirical results show that: i) the group approach helped to
improve linkages, communication, and access to knowledge, technology, finance, inputs
(day-old chicks and feed), veterinary service, and market; ii) the groups were able to
successfully produce and supply pullets thus making an additional income of Ethiopian birr
(ETB) 833/hh; iii) the approach stimulates growing demand for the 5 months-old pullets,
especially by government/donor financed programs. While being technically and
economically viable, the system requires institutional upgrading so as to ensure sustainability
of input supply (chicks, feed and vaccine/drugs). The commitment shown by WoARD to
provide technical backstopping in all aspects of poultry production also leaves much to be
desired. These are crucial at least for the first few cycles, while more emphasis should be
given to promoting improved local birds. As the follow-up studies on subsequent egg
production showed, considerable attention needs to be paid to building the capacity of poultry
farmers to engage in semi-commercial egg production, since egg production was still far
below its potential. The study also shows that a difference of as high as 35% existed between
egg production level by households who had purchased the pullets privately and households
who had received the pullets through food security funded projects in Dale area.
|
|---|