Challenges and Opportunities of Village Poultry Production in Wolaita Sodo Town, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The survey was carried out to assess the challenges and opportunities of village poultry production from November 2018 to April 2019 in Wolaita Sodo town, Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected by interviewing chicken rearing households using semi-structured questionnaires. Five kebeles were selected by simple random sampling technique and one hundred respondents were selected purposively based on their poultry farming experience irrespective of their sex, religion, culture, and economic status of population. Information about respondent’s profile, purpose of chicken production, housing system, challenges and opportunities of poultry production were surveyed and the result analysed by SPSS statistical tool.  The mean flock size of chicken in this study area was 7.32 chickens/household and 54% respondents keep their chicken with the family home with in the same room during in the night time. Disease (35%), predators and theft (28%), feed cost (26%) and lack of housing (11%) were reported as a major challenge of poultry production. Majority of respondents (56%) provided grain concentrates as a supplementary feed for their chickens. Most respondents (46%) reared chickens to generate cash, while 31% of respondents kept their chicken for home consumption. In this study, the main opportunities for village poultry production were availability of market access, extension service, feed availability and credit service. Therefore, to improve production and attain increased productivity, village poultry farmers and extension staff should get trainings focused on disease prevention, improved poultry housing, and appropriate control of predators.

Keywords: Chicken; Constraints; Opportunities; Questionnaire; Wolaita Sodo

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/13-17-03

Publication date:October 31^st 2023