A major constraint for small-scale poultry farmers in the rural areas of the Niger Delta is the periodic outbreak of Newcastle Disease (NCD) and other preventable diseases. Mortality rates due to these diseases is over 30% with an estimated loss of eight billion Naira per year. MADE identified that the prevalence of the diseases can…
Rearing local breeds of chicken is a typical activity of rural households across Nigeria, including in the Niger Delta. Approximately 3 million households keep local chickens across the region, with an average flock size of 11 per household. These birds, though not reared with a specific commercial intent, provide a safety net for rural households,…
Demand for chicken meat and eggs in Nigeria is substantial and growing at more than 20% per annum as incomes rise and new marketing outlets appear. The government-imposed ban on poultry imports has raised the price of chicken meat and provides a strong window of opportunity for local production. The market for chickens is dominated…
Traditional poultry production is an important agricultural activity of most rural communities in the world where they are kept by the rural poor for meat, eggs, supplementary income and for meeting a wide range of social obligations. The production of traditional chickens in Nigeria is however hampered by the risk of infection from diseases, predators,…
One of the major challenges encountered by Smallholder Poultry Farmers (SHF) in poultry production in Nigeria is the incessant case of preventable bird diseases accounting for about 30% mortality rate. Limited access to and availability of inappropriately sized vaccines, preventing smallholder farmers from using the vaccines, are among leading causes of high poultry mortality experienced…