The arguments over access to COVID-19 vaccines this week are all rather unpleasant. For anyone wanting to escape this fight for resources, and to focus on where cooperation and generosity of spirit can lead to the greater public good, I thought that it may be worth looking at a couple of poultry initiatives in developing countries.
These initiatives are looking to improve nutrition and incomes, with all the benefits that addressing these issues can bring.
Let us look first at work in Kenya, where development organization Heifer International is working in partnership with Cargill and government bodies to support poultry farmers and, at the same time, raising consumer awareness of the benefits of eating poultry products.
The program aims to build a viable and equitable market system and improve access to feed and technical support for 46,000 poultry farming households.
Demand for poultry products is rising in the area where Hatching Hope Kenya, as the project is known, is being rolled out. However, the local supply chain has been unable to keep pace. This, it is hoped, will be remedied through promoting best practices while consumer awareness campaigns should foster demand.
The project aims to improve the nutrition and incomes of 100 million people in the west of the country by 2030.
Now and for the long-term
Separately, in Vietnam, aid, development and advocacy body World Vision is working, over 10 months, with ADM to help 50 farming households.
Their project aims to promote sustainable agricultural development by equipping disadvantaged households with poultry breeding knowledge and skills, and to raise their productivity and profit through improving financial literacy and achieving better market engagement.
Each participant in the project receives a support package including 100 vaccinated chicks, a coop and equipment, feed and access to training and trading events.
Dr. Pierre Domps, ADM Director of Marketing and Business Development Asia notes that there are numerous smallholder farmers with difficult lives and that the initiative with World Vision could be adopted and replicated across Asia.
The above are simply two examples of initiatives where working together can lead to the benefit of many, perhaps something we all need to think about a little bit more at the moment.
