Chicken Meat Production, Consumption and Constraints in Ethiopia

Abstract

This paper reviews the production, consumption and constraints of poultry in Ethiopia to deliver summarized and synthesized information for the beneficiaries and readers. Of all domestic animals in the Ethiopia poultry is the most numerous, all of which are represented exclusively by chickens because the others are living in their natural habitats. In Ethiopia, Poultry (chicken) production plays a significant role in the supply of human food (eggs and meat) in rural and urban area and as a source of income, especially to small holder farmers. About 95.86% of the total national poultry products (eggs and meat) are contributed by indigenous chickens kept under village management system while the remaining 1.35% is obtained from intensively kept exotic breed of chickens and 2.79% are obtained from hybrids. The poultry sector in Ethiopia can be characterized into three major production systems based on some selected parameters such as breed, flock size, housing, feeding, health, technology and bio-security. These are large scale commercial poultry production system, small-scale commercial poultry production system and village or backyard poultry production system. They all have their own roll for the national production and consumption. Poultry products offer affordable quality animal protein sources for the smallholder farm households. Poultry consumption is moreover closely associated with wealth status. Chickens are consumed mostly during holidays. In general, poultry consumption accounts for less than 1% of the total annual food needs of farm households. Under poultry production prevailing disease, predators, nutrition, poor housing, weak agricultural extension service, low income level, religion and gender are major constraints to poultry production and its meat consumption in Ethiopia. Therefore to increase poultry production and meat consumption domestication of other poultry species, giving special emphasize on exotic poultry production, and solving of all the constraints are better.

Keywords: Production, Chicken meat, Consumption, Constraints, Ethiopia.