Decision tools for family poultry development

Family poultry encompasses all small-scale poultry production systems found in rural, urban and peri-urban areas of developing countries. Rather than defining the production systems per se, the term is used to describe poultry production practised by individual families as a means of obtaining food security, income and gainful employment. Family poultry production is often perceived as an activity that can easily and quickly generate income and support food security for resource-poor households. However, the essential requirements for the efficient production of healthy and profitable poultry and eggs are frequently inadequately understood by those designing projects for resource-poor settings. This publication provides guidance for personnel in governments, development organizations and NGOs to better determine and plan development interventions for family poultry. The decision tools address the situation of four distinct family poultry production systems and their development opportunities: small extensive scavenging, extensive scavenging, semi-intensive production and small-scale intensive production. They describe the poultry production systems, including their required inputs and expected outputs and the techniques and tools used to assess the operational environment, in order to design interventions suited to the local conditions. Practical technical information are provided about genetics and reproduction, feeds and feeding, poultry health, housing, marketing and value chain development, microfinance and credit, institutional development, training and extension, and creating an enabling policy. Guidance is then provided on how to utilize this relevant information to design and develop projects targeted at specific conditions.