Innovations in poultry production introduced by development projects can threaten the success of poultry enterprises unless all associated risks are recognized and addressed.
Poultry raising is a popular activity among rural women in most countries. It can provide meat and eggs for the family, a small and fairly regular source of cash, manure for crop production, feathers, items for traditional rituals and gifts for friends. Labour requirements are low compared with those associated with other small livestock, and production tasks can be combined with women's other household responsibilities. Unlike in the case of larger livestock, often women also control the marketing of poultry and poultry products, with the resulting income theirs to use.
A 1997 review of IFAD experience in supporting smallholder poultry development found that poultry has been a frequent sub-component of IFAD loan projects, usually targeting the poorer rural women. The most common type of support provided has been credit for small-scale poultry enterprises. When women are given a choice of loan projects, they often choose poultry raising. They are familiar with the activity, and set-up costs are relatively low. Frequently IFAD projects have also included other support activities, such as the strengthening of veterinary institutions and services, the training of beneficiaries in health and husbandry practices, and on- and off-farm adaptive research on topics related to poultry production.
In addition to providing support, IFAD projects have also introduced innovative elements in production systems, breeds, health and husbandry practices, or in terms of new marketing strategies. Such innovations have in turn required new inputs, new knowledge and new practices. The review draws some practical preliminary lessons for this experience. Given the relatively small size of such sub-components, analysis of impact is scarce. Therefore, the review has often assumed success or failure of the enterprise from patterns of loan repayment.
The traditional scavenging system has been more successful with the IFAD target group than new semi-intensive systems.
Traditionally, most women practise the extensive system of poultry production (where fowls range freely and scavenge in the backyard), which requires only a minimal cash expenditure on feed. Nonetheless, the review found that 73% of a sample of projects had introduced a semi-intensive system, based on confinement or semi-confinement of the poultry, and requiring building of sheds and purchase of feed. The target group in such projects often had difficulty repaying loans issued to support poultry enterprises. Part of the problem has been that fowls reared in semi-intensive systems are more susceptible to disease. A high poultry mortality rate was the most important cause of delinquent loan repayment in an IFAD-supported project in Nepal, for instance, and has also been a problem elsewhere. Another difficulty encountered in IFAD projects has been the high price of poultry feed (e.g. in Bangladesh, where a 50% increase in feed prices was noted; in Egypt; and in Sri Lanka). This factor has probably lowered productivity and aggravated repayment problems.
All projects promoting improved breeds have encountered problems.
The projects reviewed can be divided into two broad groups by type of poultry breed promoted: improved breeds and local breeds. Some projects support both, as was the case with an IFAD project in Bangladesh. In other instances, no specification is made concerning the particular breed to be promoted. Beneficiaries often prefer to have improved breeds, but the IFAD review notes that these should only be promoted in association with an efficient vaccination programme, technical follow-up and nutritional improvement measures at the beneficiary level.
Where women receive training in husbandry practices and access to poultry health services, poultry activities are more successful.
Of the projects reviewed, fully 70% supported veterinary services. A project in Egypt provided for the production of pathogen-free eggs, which were then used for the production of a vaccine against Newcastle Disease, the most common threat to poultry. This project also provided women with improved and vaccinated day-old chicks. In Bangladesh, where poultry enterprises were successful and loan repayment was good, fully 3 900 poultry vaccinators were trained. It was found that women poultry workers contributed considerably to the health of the poultry and to the good standard of husbandry skills of the small-scale poultry producers. Similarly, in an IFAD-supported women's project in Nepal, poor women trained as village paraveterinarians successfully provided health services to poultry producers. In an IFAD project in Indonesia, women also received training in husbandry practices and access to health services.
Poultry activities geared to local markets perform better than those trying to access markets external to the project area.
Poultry production activities intended to integrate into the 'ready' local market appear to be more successful than those aiming at distant markets, as evidenced in an IFAD project in Indonesia. The review gives as an example the group marketing of eggs, which was also highlighted in a 1994 IFAD review of women's livestock activities. The latter review observes that, with smaller-scale activities, women do better by pooling their eggs so they can be sold while they are still fresh. If women wait until they have accumulated enough eggs on their own, some eggs will have deteriorated. Unless there already are established marketing channels, smallholder sale of poultry and poultry products to external markets is often unable to compete and is likely to fail. IFAD-supported projects in the Cameroon and Lesotho noted the competition for poultry products from neighbouring countries (Nigeria and South Africa). A project in China promoting semi-intensive bird broiler units faced competition from large industrial enterprises. The IFAD review recommends, in fact, that poultry production models that are "economically viable only under certain price conditions for the product are not appropriate for poverty-focused projects".
Changes are introduced into traditional poultry development with the commendable intention of increasing productivity and profits. But such changes also bring with them new expenses and risks. IFAD's experience shows how important it is to recognize and minimize such risks beforehand so that high initial investments, high poultry mortality and high feed costs do not threaten the economic viability of women's poultry enterprises.
Adapted from
Hajime Nabata, IFAD's Experience in Supporting Smallholder Poultry Production Systems, Staff Working Paper 21, Rome: IFAD, August 1997.
M. Niamir-Fuller, Women Livestock Managers in the Third World: Focus on Technical Issues Related to Gender Roles in Livestock Production, Staff Working Paper 18, Rome: IFAD, December 1994.
