The main aim of this seminar paper is to review factors affecting the participation of smallholder farmers in improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia. Improved chicken rearing plays an important role by increasing smallholder farmers’ household food security and income generation as well as increasing gender equity, amongst the rural poor. To increase the chicken contribution to income and dietary diversity of the household; a ministry of agriculture and rural development of the country have been multiplied and disseminated several improved chicken breeds to the smallholder farmers over the last fifty years in different parts of regions of Ethiopia. Improved chickens such as Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn, Bovine brown, and Issa brown, were imported and disseminated to smallholder farmers to increase egg and meat production, income generation, job creation for the smallholder farmers, and genetically to improve the native chicken breeds through on-farm research and public extension programs in Ethiopia. Even if an improved chicken were disseminated to smallholder farmers in the country, smallholder farmers’ discussion to participate in improved chicken rearing system was limited to traditional rearing system and different factors as well as different challenges. Those challenges and factors are lack of extension follow-up, lack of complementary inputs, diseases, unavailability of credit services, market problem, agro-ecological problem, and less gender participation. Based on this seminar paper of review, it was concluded that extension agencies and other concerned departments should manipulate these crucial factors to bring about inclusive and desirable changes in the participation of smallholder farmers in improved chicken rearing that; can towards improved poultry technologies in Ethiopia.

1. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
Review on Factors Affecting the Participation of Smallholder
Farmers in Improved Chicken Rearing in Ethiopia
By
Tariku Bachano
Advisor: Tamiru Chalchisa (Assistance Professor)
January, 2021
Jimma, Ethiopia
1

2. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
Contents of the presentation
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.2 Objectives
1.2.1 General objective
1.2.2 Specific objectives
2. LITERATURE REVIEWS
2.1 Current status of improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia
2.1.1 Ethiopian improved chicken distribution
2.1.2 Production performance of improved chicken
2

3. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
…Contents of the presentation
2.1.3 Types of preferred improved chicken in Ethiopia
2.1.4 Chicken rearing systems
2.2 Factors affecting SHFs discussion to participate in improve chicken rearing
2.3 Challenges & opportunities for improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia
2.3.1 Challenges for improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia
2.3.2 Opportunities for improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia
3. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
3.1 Conclusion
3.2 Recommendations
3

4. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
1.1 Background
Rural smallholders throughout the world rear all species of poultry.
In most developing countries rural poultry plays a significant role as;
– Source of income,
– Improving the nutritional status,
– Insure food security &
– Livelihood of many smallholders
4
1. INTRODUCTION

5. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
Continued
 Poultry population in Ethiopia is estimated to be 56.87 million.
 From this;
 Indigenous 95.86%
 Hybrid 2.79% &
 Improved 1.35%
 Improved chicken rearing plays important role in both the rural &
urban in Ethiopia.
 MoARD & PEPs disseminated IC for SHFs.
5

6. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
6
Continued
 Such disseminated improved breeds are;
 Bovan brown
 Issa brown
 Red island red
 White leghorn were disseminated.
 But; 99 % of the poultry population consists of local breed
type, traditional mgt & maintained under a scavengering
system

7. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
 Acc.to Teklewold et al. (2006); Alemneh & Getabalew (2019) SHFs
discussion to participate improved chicken rearing was limited by;
Imbalance b/n demand and supply of chicken
Lack of extension follow-up
Lack of complementary inputs
Diseases
Unavailability of credit services &
Market problems
7
Continued

8. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
8
Continued
Therefore, the intent of this seminar is to review as well as to come up
with some important recommendations from dt related 20 published as
well as unpublished;
 Journals,
 Articles,
 Review papers, and
 Manuscripts papers.

9. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
1.2 Objectives
1.2.1 General objective
The overall objective of this seminar is to review factors affecting the
participation of smallholder farmers in improved chicken rearing in
Ethiopia.
1.2.2 Specific objectives
To explore the current status of improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia.
To review factors affecting smallholder farmers' discussion to participate
in improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia.
To explore challenges and opportunities of improved chicken rearing in
Ethiopia.
9

10. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
2. LITERATURE REVIEWS
10
2.1 Current status of improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia
2.1.1 Ethiopian improved chicken distribution
 There is no evidence indicating the exact time & locations of the
introduction of the 1st batch of improved breeds of chickens into
Ethiopia.
 RIR, Australop, New Hampshire, and WL were imported to Jimma in
1953 and Haromaya in 1956.

11. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
Continued
In Ethiopia there are 14 rearing & multiplication centers.
 Adigrat & Mekelle in Tigray region,
 Andassa and Combolcha in Amhara region,
 Adama, Adelle, Bedelle & Nekemt in Oromiya region,
 Bonga, Gubre , Hawassa & Wolayita in SNNP region ,
 Dire Dawa and Harar region.
11

12. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
 Objectives of the centers are distribution of;
Improved chicken breeds,
Fertile eggs,
Baby chicks,
Pullets and
Cockerels to SHFs.
 They provide in-service training to farmers & extension workers.
 provide about 50% price subsidy by giving the priority to women.
12
Continued

13. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
Production performance
Types of Breed
Indigenous Hybrid Improved
Egg production/year/hen 30-60 156-200 250
Egg weight in gram 38 49-56 60
Egg laying period in days 21 36 105
Body weight at 6 months 1.5 1.6-1.65 1.76
13
Source: Alemneh & Getachew, 2019
Performance of improved breed from indigenous and hybrid breeds
Egghenyear 92.25 & 28.8 % better from indigenous & hybrid respectively.
Egg wt. in gm. >22gm & 3gm from indigenous and hybrid respectively.
Laying period 84* & 15* better than form indigenous & hybrid respectively.
Body weight 0.25gm & 0.11gm greater than from indigenous & hybrid respectively.
2.1.2 Production performance of improved chicken

14. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
2.1.3 Types of preferred improved chicken in Ethiopia
i. Egg types of breeds
a) Bovans Brown (BB)
– Formerly known as bovans Goldline
– They lay high egg numbers.
– They are docile breeds
Ermias et al. 2015 & Getiso et al., 2017, conducted research to identify
husbandry practices, adoption, and preference of village poultry technology
packages, at Oromiya and SN. Under their research result they concluded
BB was adopted by SHFS than others due to high egg production.
14

15. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
15
Continued
b) Issa Brown ( IB)
Lay high egg (300) hen in the first year.
easy to rise and prolific producers of large richly colored brown eggs of
excellent shell quality.
They are quiet, friendly & easily trained to lay in their nest.
c) White leghorn (WL)
Known for laying lots of white eggs.
Need less feed, due to their small size.
At the end of the laying period they give relatively little meat.

16. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
ii. Dual purpose
a) Fayoumi breed (Fo)
 Chicken breed that is imported to Ethiopia from Egypt.
 They adapt harsh, hot and arid environment.
 they have been in trial in lowlands of Ethiopia by Ethiopian agricultural
research centers.
 Since it is a short time they are introduce and still going on.
 Acc. to Hinsemu (2018); there is no clear info about their performance in
Ethiopia, they are only distributed on trial bases
16
Continued

17. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
Continued
b) Koekoek ( Kk)
 Refers to the barred colour pattern of the birds.
 Very popular among rural farmers in South Africa & neighboring countries
for both egg and meat production.
 Biratu & Haile (2016) researched at Jimma zone to demonstrate and evaluate
a full package of improved dual-purpose Koekoek chicken. They concluded
that; smallholder farmers' acceptable performance indicating the possibility of
participation.
 Acc. to Ermias et al. (2015) Kk preferred by farmers in the lowland agro-
ecology.
17

18. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
2.1.4 Chicken rearing systems
Free-range chicken rearing system ( 5-10 indigenous chicken)
 It covers 95-98% of the chicken production system of the country and it
is not profitable since it is not market-oriented.
Semi- intensive chicken rearing system (10–50 improved chickens)
 Mostly these systems concentrate on exotic dual-purpose chicken
breeds, with the potential to lay about 150–200 eggs/bird per year.
Intensive chicken rearing system can be categorized as;
i. Small-scale commercial poultry rearing system: (50-10,000 flock of chicken)
ii. Large-scale commercial rearing system: average flock of chicken are 10,000
in this rearing system
18

19. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
 Agro-ecology
 Crop production
 Family members
19
2.2 Factors affecting SHFs discussion to participate
in improved chicken rearing

20. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
2.3.1 Challenges for improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia
 Adoption challenges
 Disease and predators
 Imbalance between demand and supply of improved chickens
 Feed availability and utilization
 Market accessibility
 Gender
 Lack of extension education
 Lack of credit
20
2.3 Challenges & opportunities for improved chicken
rearing in Ethiopia

21. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
Continued
2.3.2 Opportunities for improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia
 Is tool for poverty alleviation and women's empowerment.
 Livestock sector is one of the government focusing area.
 The existence of poultry projects in poultry technology.
21

22. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
3. CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION
3.1 Conclusion
The MoARD, have been multiplied and disseminated several improved
chicken breeds.
Improved chicken has an important role in smallholder farmers' economic,
social, and cultural benefit.
And also improved chicken rearing can play a key role in poverty alleviation,
nutrition, and food security.
22

23. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
Even though improved chicken rearing has such key roles to smallholder
farmers, their rearing systems were affected by different factors and
challenges in Ethiopia.
Adoption challenges, the imbalance between demand and supply of chickens,
lack of feed, agro-ecology, disease, market, gender, less extension follow up,
and lack of credit are the factors that affect smallholder farmers’ discussion to
participate in improved chicken rearing in Ethiopia.
23
Continued

24. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
3.2 Recommendation
The concerned departments should manipulate these crucial factors to bring
about desirable changes in the participation of SHFs in improved chicken
rearing.
The skills of SHFs in all aspects of improved chicken management must be
improved through training and education.
Improved chicken should be supplied for all smallholder farmers in all regions
year-round at a fair price.
24
Continued

25. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
An adequate supply of high-quality feed at all times for smallholder farmers
in all regions of Ethiopia at a reasonable price.
Proper veterinary services such as timely vaccination should be ensured
before the occurrence of the diseases.
The marketing system must be improved, for the benefit of both chicken
rearer and consumers in all regions of Ethiopia.
25
Continued

26. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
More women should also be considered to increase complete understanding
about the adoption of improved chickens in rural areas.
Smallholder chicken producers should also be provided with credits, taking
into accounts the economic circumstances and socio-cultural context in which
the beneficiaries live.
Frequent extension services, teaching, training, and promotion should be
given.
26
Continued

27. Jimma University
Website: www.ju.edu.et JUCAVM
27
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND
ATTENTION!!!!
THE END!!!!!