Summary
In developing countries, family poultry represent an appropriate system to feed the fast growing human
population and to provide income to poor small farmers, especially women. It makes one of the best uses of
locally available resources. Although requiring low resource inputs and generally considered secondary to
other agricultural activities by smallholder farmers, this type of production has an important contribution in
supplying local populations with additional income and high quality protein.
Family poultry are also valued in religious and socio-cultural lives. However, high mortality, mainly due to Newcastle disease, especially in growers, constitutes one of the greatest constraints on development. Other problems are related to breeding, feeding and marketing. Appropriate development programmes are those, which adopt a holistic approach.
|
|
| Primary Relevance |
Low - High |
| Feeding and Nutrition |
 |
| Animal Health |
|
| Commodities and Markets |
|
| Other Husbandry |
|
| Policy Relevance |
 |
|
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is committed to family poultry development and, through the International Network for Family Poultry Development (INFPD), is ideally placed to co-ordinate family poultry development. Family poultry are within the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS), launched in 1994 by Jacques Diouf, Director-General of FAO.
|
