Rwanda plans significant increase in chicken, egg output

Sub-Saharan poultry production is now larger than the traditionally stronger North African sector, and the Rwandan broiler and egg industries are claiming their part of that growth.

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Egg production has been a success in Rwanda over recent years, and the government now wants to foster both production and consumption. (Mark Clements)
Egg production has been a success in Rwanda over recent years, and the government now wants to foster both production and consumption. (Mark Clements)

Rwanda’s poultry flock grew at an average annual rate of 9% from 2011 to 2018 to reach 7.6 million head.

Rwanda, like much of Sub-Saharan Africa, is seeing the poultry industry grow at a faster rate than any other agricultural sub sector, driven by rising populations, incomes and urbanization. For the Rwandan government, the sector is seen as “low hanging fruit”, or better understood as an industry that with help and encouragement can quickly grow to help increase the local protein supply.

Alongside demographic changes that are fostering demand, the Rwandan government has developed policies to help the industry, including removing taxes on inputs and other fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.

Targeted growth

Under the Rwanda Livestock Master Plan, the government is hoping to see a 124% increase in chicken meat production and a 110% increase in egg output over the next 5 years, said Solange Uwituze, deputy director general in charge of animal resources, research and technology transfer with the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resource Development Board, speaking at Poultry Africa 2019.

Currently, 69% of poultry kept in Rwanda comprises local breeds, she continued, while 31% is commercially-raised imported breeds, and both small-scale and larger production are being encouraged to grow.

The government’s aim is to develop what is still largely a subsistence sector into one that is more knowledge intensive and market oriented, adding value to poultry products.

It wants to transform what is known as traditional family chicken production into improved family chicken, through the introduction of dual-purpose crossbreed birds, following a model that has already proved successful in other parts of Africa.

At the same time, it is encouraging producers, be they of broilers or layers, that are already operating commercially to scale-up the number of birds kept on farm and increasing the number of specialist farms.

While the government may have made investment easier in the country, through tax breaks and other incentives for example, expanding the poultry industry is not without its challenges.

Among these challenges is competition from the human population for maize, the need to find alternatives and raise productivity, and a lack of stable electricity supply which can impact production in a variety of ways from the farm through ensuring a safe supply of medicines. Biosecurity is also an area that needs development and improving to benefit the sector.

Building on successes

Despite ongoing difficulties, the sector is experiencing significant growth.

Egg production has increased from 80 million eggs in 2010 to 132.7 million in 2018, and there are now 10 commercial egg farms in the country classified as large, with flocks numbering between 20,000 and 100,000 birds.

The country no longer imports eggs for consumption, and imports of hatching eggs are due to stop mid-2020. Nevertheless, egg consumption remains low, and it is hoped that the model employed in Ghana to raise consumption, which saw per capita egg consumption increase from 11 or 12 to 124 eggs over two years, can be replicated in Rwanda.

Similarly, the country imports no broiler meat and local production has risen from 13,718 tons in 2010 to 45,000 tons in 2018.

In late 2019, an agreement was signed with industry association, Interprofessional Federation of the Poultry Sector in Morocco (FISA Maroc), which will insure Rwandan poultry farmers access training facilities in Morocco.

 

 

Rwandan egg farm uses modern production techniques

www.WATTAgNet.com/articles/32650

 

 

 

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