Hybrid approach could boost Rwanda’s poultry production

A pilot project in Rwanda has resulted in a model for small farmers that would make their entry into commercial broiler production far easier.

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The new, biosecure, small-scale production model offers a way for smallholders to get a foothold into larger-scale production and produce to commercial standards. (Mark Clements)
The new, biosecure, small-scale production model offers a way for smallholders to get a foothold into larger-scale production and produce to commercial standards. (Mark Clements)

A new production model for broiler production that falls between backyard and large-scale commercial production could help Rwanda achieve its goal of significantly raising poultry production.

The model is the result of a four-year pilot project, conducted by the Smith International Center, which works on developing sustainable agriculture, and the University of Tennessee, in collaboration with local feed mill Zamura Feeds Ltd., and sees smallholders producing broilers to commercial standards.

Production of broiler meat has risen significantly in the country over the past decade, however, 80% of the country’s farmers are still smallholders. On average, they cultivate less than 2.2 acres (0.9 hectares) of land and, while many already raise backyard chickens, this tends to be primarily for home consumption.

The model that has evolved in Rwanda has seen farmers trained to raise birds in their own, biosecure, 100 square-foot (9.3 m3) coops, with 100 birds on a 45-day grow-out cycle.

Training and finance

To achieve this, a private extension model was used to train, supply resources and support 500 smallholders to produce to modern industry standards.

Farmers were offered micro-loans for capital and expenditure and recurring expenses and were offered guaranteed broiler buyback at the end of each cycle.

A sustainable model for small-scale production has resulted and it could be scaled throughout the country and surrounding region, offering a route into the industry and raising production and profitability.

The project's partners believe that, to scale up the model, various approaches could be taken. These might include reducing recurring production costs, providing value chain training, making micro-financing easier, reducing post-harvest costs, raising demand for broiler meat and strengthening smallholder support policies. Details were published in October in the World’s Poultry Science Journal.

Under the Rwanda Livestock Plan, launched in 2017, the government has a target of raising broiler production in the country by 124% by 2022.

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