Early intensification of backyard poultry systems in the tropics – a case study

Chabain, C, Robinson, TP, Fevre, Eric, Ogola, J, Akoko, J, Gilbert, M and Vanwambeke, SO (2020) Early intensification of backyard poultry systems in the tropics – a case study. [Data Collection]

Original publication URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173112000110X

Description

Poultry production is an important way of enhancing the livelihoods of rural populations, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). As poultry production in LMICs remains dominated by backyard systems with low inputs and low outputs, considerable yield gaps exist. Intensification can increase poultry productivity, production and income. This process is relatively recent in LMICs compared to high-income countries. The management practices and the constraints faced by smallholders trying to scale-up their production, in the early stages of intensification, are poorly understood and described. We thus investigated the features of the small-scale commercial chicken sector in a rural area distant from major production centres. We surveyed 111 commercial chicken farms in Kenya in 2016. We targeted farms that sell the majority of their production, owning at least 50 chickens, partly or wholly confined and provided with feeds. We developed a typology of semi-intensive farms. Farms were found mainly to raise dual-purpose chickens of local and improved breeds, in association with crops and were not specialized in any single product or market. We identified four types of semi-intensive farms were characterised based on two groups of variables related to intensification and accessibility: i) remote, small-scale old farms, with small flocks, growing a lot of their own feed, (ii) medium-scale, old farms with a larger flock and well located in relation to markets (iii) large-scale recently established farms, with large flocks, (iii-a) well located and buying chicks from third party providers and (iii-b) remotely located and hatching their own chicks. Farm location affects market access and influences the opportunities available to farmers, resulting in further diversity in farm management types. The semi-intensive farms we surveyed were highly heterogeneous in terms of size, age, accessibility, management, opportunities and challenges. Intensification trajectories in rural areas of LMICs are potentially complex, diverse and non-linear.

Keywords: Livestock intensification, farm typology, small-scale production, poultry production, Kenya
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Depositing User: Eric Fevre
Date Deposited: 20 Apr 2020 09:31
Last Modified: 24 Jun 2020 11:17
DOI: 10.17638/datacat.liverpool.ac.uk/1066
URI: https://datacat.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/1066

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