NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK

TELEFOOD SPECIAL FUND PROJECT FORMAT

"Small-Scale Commercial Poultry Keeping"

Target group
The primary beneficiaries should be groups consisting of the poorest households and women (especially widows and female-headed households), the disabled and/or schools.

Background and justification
In most countries and particularly the Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCs), keeping a few household poultry, usually chickens, is a common practice in the rural and many urban areas. These are primarily minimum input systems; little or no supplementary feeding is given, and investment in improved housing, disease control or husbandry is limited. However, where there is access to feed grains, protein supplements, improved breeding stock, drugs and vaccines, and where disposable incomes are such that there is demand for poultry products, commercial production of eggs and broilers is feasible.

The commercial sector is usually dominated by a few large national or multi-national companies. There is, however, potential of the small-scale commercial operations supplying a local niche market for fresh eggs and poultry meat. Such small-scale operators often benefit from the larger enterprises which can supply quality hybrid birds (day-old-chicks) and formulated and balanced feeds.

Small-scale production of eggs and broilers, the providing skills, inputs and markets are available, provide an attractive proposition for income generation for both individual entrepreneurs or communal groups alike.

Pre-requisites
A number of pre-requisites must to be satisfied before project assistance should be considered, namely:

• a local tradition of keeping poultry and consuming poultry products;
• an understanding of the markets (inputs and outputs), feed requirements and the disease situation;
• locally available feed resources so that rations are not entirely dependent on imported ingredients;
• a local willingness to participate in and contribute to the programme;
• an institution (government or NGO) capable of initiating and supervising the programme in project areas, as well as providing other essential inputs not covered by TeleFood;
• advisors/extension staff trained in poultry development and with a good understanding of both commercial egg and broiler production;
• functioning women's or producers groups; and
• access to reliable supply of hybrid stock, feeds, drugs and vaccines.

Objectives
The aim of the project would be to increase income generation through the establishment of small-scale commercial egg (50-500 layer flocks) and/or broilers (50-250 batch size) enterprises.

Duration of the project: Typically one year.

Outputs (per Module)
1. An established 100-bird Laying Flock producing:

• 18,360 eggs/cycle (85 birds producing 240 eggs less 10% breakage), and
• 85 cull birds

2. An established 200-batch Broiler Unit producing: 170 broilers (1.9kg live weight) per batch, 5-batches/ year.

Activities
Activities will concentrate on establishing small-scale commercial layer flocks or broiler units utilizing specifically-bred hybrid birds (layers or growers), complete rations, appropriate housing and sound management. The project should assistance in the following areas:

• Improved Housing: The basic aim should be to provide, yet secure housing for the total confinement of the laying hens or broilers. Housing should provide: adequate but draught free ventilation; feed and water troughs, lighting, brooding and rearing facilities (broilers and layers), and storage facilities for eggs and feed. Nest boxes and perches should also be provided for the laying flocks. Such housing can usually be provided cheaply using local materials (timber, mud, thatch etc.) although, in addition, some sawn timber, blocks, roofing sheets and wire netting may be required. Locally adapted designs are available in most countries.
• Feed Supply: The initial supply (until the hens have been in-lay for three months or for the first batch of layers) for a quality, complete feed, formulated for chicks, growers and/or layers.
• Control of Infectious Diseases: Including vaccination against the predominant infectious diseases Newcastle Disease, Fowl Cholera (pasteurellosis), Gumboro disease (infectious bursal disease) and Fowl Pox, as well as the control of coccidiosis, internal and external parasites.
• Day-old Chicks (doc): The initial supply of 100 hybrid layer doc and the first batch of 200 hybrid broiler doc will be supplied.
• Design Considerations: These activities are seen as group or communal enterprises with the benefits shared amongst the individuals members.

The model described represents modules consisting of 100 layers or 200 broilers. In reality, the unit size could vary and/or a varying number of modules could be included in the project.

Linkages with other (FAO) projects
To be defined in each country.

Inputs (Summary per Module)/Budget

Assumes a flock/batch size of 100 layers or 200 broilers:

In addition, requirements for simple brooders, lighting and prophylactic vaccines and medicines will be supplied.

Estimated Costs

* includes rearing and first 3 months of lay.
** first batch

Monitoring and reporting
The national implementing agency will be responsible for providing FAO with quarterly and final reports in an agreed format. The FAO Representation will be responsible for monitoring the progress of the project and ensuring, through independent audit, that the funds are used correctly.

Risks
A number of risks are associated with the programme, namely:

• Both enterprises are entirely dependent on a reliable source of quality inputs, particularly, day-old chicks and feed. Any breakdown in the supply chain will have serious consequences.
• A thorough understanding for the demand situation is required in determining the size and location of the units, especially broilers which need to be disposed of in batches of a short period of time.
• The profitably of the enterprises will be highly sensitive to the efficient use of and cost of feeds which constitute the major production losses and the control of infectious diseases.
• To be sustainable it is important that producers take full financial responsibility for vaccination, once the benefits have been demonstrated and the units established, and do not become dependent on external assistance.