A Report on

Farmers’ Training on “Commercial Poultry (Broiler) Production” at Rasuwa district,

Nepal

Submitted by:

Dr. Rupendra Chaulagain, M.V.Sc.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Submitted to:

Parivartan Nepal

Support to Resilient Auto Recovery

Bakhundol, Lalitpur, Nepal

November, 2015

Acknowledgement

It is my great pleasure to take this opportunity to acknowledge to all, particularly

those individuals who have made significant contribution to conduct this effective training

on commercial poultry farming to the earthquake victims of Rasuwa district, Nepal. I wish

to extend my privileged gratitude to Mr. Dhanej Thapa, Livelihood Manager, Cordaid, Nepal

for his genuine effort to conduct this training. I am equally grateful to Mr. Dinesh Shrestha,

Executive Director, Parivartan Nepal for his moral support and granting the poultry pilot

project to be conducted to the earthquake victims as a aim towards uplifting their

sustainable livelihood.

I am thankful to the team of Parivartan Nepal of Rasuwa district for their helping

hands for the successful completion of the training. I would like to express my special

thanks to my assistant trainer, Dr. Binay Shah and to all the members if the IDP camps and

the entire team associated directly and indirectly.

Dr. Rupendra Chaulagain, M.V.Sc.

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Poultry is one of the fastest growing segments of the agricultural sector in Nepal today.

While the production of agricultural crops has been rising at a rate of 1.5 to 2 percent per

annum, the growth rate of the poultry is double of this. This expansion may be due to a

combination of factors - growth in per capita income, a growing urban population and

falling real poultry prices.

The price of agricultural products particularly livestock products is rising both in domestic

as well as international markets due to rising income in newly emerging developing

nations and high population growth. Livestock products have very high income elasticity

and demand increases rapidly with rising income as countries shift from lower to middle

income economies. This has led to a ‘livestock revolution’ in developing counties (Delgado

et al., 1999). The increase in consumption of poultry products has been particularly

dramatic and widespread, while changes in buff, pork, and dairy demand vary with cultural

differences between countries. Future meat demand is expected to grow at roughly

equivalent rates in different developing countries, with very large absolute increases in

demand in China leading to large imports (Andrew et al., 2008).

Marketing is an important aspect of any livestock production system. It provides the

mechanism whereby producers exchange their livestock and livestock products for cash.

The cash is used for acquiring goods and services which they do not produce themselves, in

order to satisfy a variety of needs ranging from food items, clothing, medication, and

schooling to the purchase of breeding stock and other production inputs and supplies.

Analysis of the marketing system for village poultry will help to determine the economic

value and importance of local chickens. Branckaert and Guèye (1999) reported that an

established market structure for free-range chickens is a prerequisite for developing family

poultry. Even in breeding program development, indices require appropriate economic

values.

In Nepal, rural poultry represents a significant part of the rural economy in particular and

of the national economy as a whole. Besides the provision of employment and easily

disposable cash income for small-holder farmers, particularly in the off-season from

cropping, rural poultry integrates very well into other farming activities as it requires

relatively little labor. The marketing system for local chickens in most developing countries

is described as informal and poorly developed (Branckaert and Guèye 1999; Mlozi et al.,

2003). On the other hand, free-ranging local chickens are claimed to be on demand and

fetch high market prices in urban markets of Kathmandu, Pokhara and many developing

countries in Africa and Asia due to preferred attributes such as being tastier than improved

broiler strains (Kyvsgaard et al., 1999; Branckaert and Guèye, 1999). In Nepal, information

regarding the poultry marketing system and factors that determine farmer’s poultry supply

to market are lacking. This project attempts to analyze poultry marketing system and

identify factors that affect farmers’ participation decision in poultry marketing and the

volume of poultry supplied to the markets.

1.2 Project Justification

In Nepal, information concerning the chicken marketing system is lacking. Despite the high

demand for poultry products, producers in Nepal are not market oriented and the

production system is characterized by its low productivity and scavenging type. This in

turn leads to very small supply compared to the high potential; the country has in the sub

sector. A research effort to increase chicken production and productivity has been

underway in Nepal. But review of past research works indicate that the research largely

concentrated on the biological aspects of poultry production such as supplementary

feeding and breeding, efficient marketing system that adds place, form, time, and

possession utility to the product along the supply chain. The marketing system for poultry

in Nepal is poorly developed.

This project was intended in assisting poultry marketing system, business support services

and their role, constraints and opportunities of the sub sector and factors that affect

chicken market participation and volume of poultry supplied to the market in order to

supply the hygienic and wholesome meat to the meat consumers of Nepal ultimately

supporting in the entire poultry value chain of Nepal.

1.3 Project Objectives

To provide training on commercial poultry farming to the poultry farmers.

To assist in the effective marketing of live poultry and poultry products that can make a

significant difference to the level of returns to producers.

To help in expanding live poultry suppliers in response to anticipated increase in

demand of producers channel to the marketing system.

1.4 Project Site/Site Profile

Rasuwa District, a part of Bagmati Zone, is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal, a

landlocked country of South Asia. The district, with Dhunche as its district headquarters,

covers an area of 1,544 km² and has a population (2011) of 43,300. As per census 2011

total households in Rasuwa district is 9,778.

It is the smallest district by area, among 16 districts in the Himalayan region of Nepal.

Origin of its name had begun as 'Rasowa' which is believed to be derived as a combination

of two Tibetan words ra (meaning: lambs) and sowa (meaning: grazing) as it was famous

for its lamb and grazing lands. And later people started to call it Rasuwa. The

administrative division of Rasuwa comprised 18 Village Development Committees (VDCs)

each having 9 wards. Rasuwa is accessible by bus from Kathmandu (national capital) via

Pasang Lhamu highway (H21), with its headquarters (Dhunche) being about 120 km

from Kathmandu. As of 2013, 3 VDCs namely Thuman, Langtang and Haku is not touched

by any kind of roadway.

The three days training program was held at one of the VDC, Dhaibung which was severely

affected by the massive earthquake (7.9 Richter scale) that seriously struck at Nepal last

May, 2015. As poultry farming is one of the fast income sources; this training program was

held to promote the earthquake victims towards the poultry farming so that they can uplift

their livelihood preferably.

2. Materials and Methods:

To make the proper learning environment in the training, we use participatory means and

methods remaining with in the adult learning principle. As for examples:

Discussion

Group work

Brain storming

Practical works

Picture discussion

Poster discussion

Detail of activities

Three days long commercial poultry farming training was conducted in a participatory

manner with 20 members of the IDP camp from November 25-27, 2015 at Daibung VDC of

Rasuwa distrct, Nepal.

Training was opened by respective representative from Parivartan Nepal of Rasuwa

district and facilitators team welcoming the participants into training hall. Representative

from Parivartan Nepal and facilitator gave their short encouraging speech to motivate the

trainees. And then, for few minutes' trainers warmed up the environment sharing the both

way experiences regarding the broiler farming and with few fun making items.

Then the sessions of the schedule were conducted, collecting the expectations, problems

faced and any other related queries from the trainees. Collected expectations were grouped

into different categories for their convenience. Few updating new knowledge was also

incorporated during the same sessions. Then, all the trainees set goals were examined to

check their performance promise accomplished or not, if not accomplished, re-goal set was

done. The training session was conducted both on theory and on the practical basis. The

trainee farmers did the practical session starting from general insights on the materials and

equipment necessary for the poultry farming to application on Biosecurity measures and

finally brooding of day old chick broilers.

In the second day, the training went as on schedule with the theory and practical sessions

on the topic set up. The trainee farmers’ problems were analyzed in their level, letting them

solve the problems by themselves under the trainer's guidance and letting their successful

friends give the answers.

Finally on the third day, their achievements success stories, failure stories collected and

shared among themselves. And the three days long commercial poultry farming training

came to an end. Then the closing ceremony were conducted by distributing the handouts

on poultry farming to the trainee farmers by the trainer and the closing remarks was

conducted by the Program Coordinator of Parivartan Nepal with the expectations collection

and further plan from the trainee farmers and appreciation to the trainers.

3. Conclusion and Recommendations

Conducted training has given many lessons to the team and organizers which are

incorporated in the recommendations.

Community with strong tradition and farming practices need more frequent

monitoring and regular support.

As the trainee farmers are the earthquake victims lacking land, assets and financial

source to start the scientific way of commercial poultry farming, group farming

might be beneficial at the initial start of the project for their sustainable livelihood.

For the successful poultry farming at Rasuwa district, there must be good linkage

within the poultry value chain stakeholders at Rasuwa district or nearby Nuwakot

district.

At the initial start of the project, in my opinion, there can be established 10

commercial broiler farms (capacity 1000-2000 broilers per farm) with farmer

donor partnership as group farming; with good initial poultry value chain

stakeholders meeting; for the successful completion with handsome profit.

Lastly, if with the limitations of funding to the donors, coiler (Giriraj breed) and the

local breed (Sakini breed) of poultry can be raised as “free range organic chicken” by

the farmers rather than commercial broilers; byside promoting the tourism and can

be popular as fish tourism at Nuwakot and Rasuwa district.

Annex

Training Schedule

Venue: Nuwakot district

Date: 25-27th November, 2015 Time: 10AM – 4 PM

Day Contents Mode Time Duration

Registration and Refreshment 9:30 - 10:30 am 60 min.

1st

Da

y

Opening, introduction, objectives

sharing, expectation collection.

10:30 - 11:30

am

60 min.

Broiler housing Theory 11:30 - 12:00

pm

30 min

Bio-security and shed cleaning Th + Pr. 12:00 - 12:45

pm

45 min

Shed cleaning Th+Pr. 12:45 - 1:30

pm

45 min

Lunch/snacks/refreshment 1:30-2:00 pm 30 min.

Preparation for brooding/brooding

management

Theory 2:00 – 2:45 pm 45 min

Preparation for brooding/brooding

management

Practical 2:45 – 4:00 pm 75 min

2n

d D

ay

Management practices: litter, feeding

& water

Th + Pr. 10:00 - 10:45

am

45 min.

Management practices: light,

temperature, humidity & ventilation

Th+Pr 10:45-11:30 am 45 min.

Management practices: medication,

vaccine & vaccination

Th + Pr. 11:30 - 12:30

pm

60 min

Management practices : heat and cold

stress, signs of healthy & sick birds

Th + Pr. 12:30 - 1:30 pm 60 min

Lunch/snacks/refreshment 1:30-2:00 pm 30 min.

Management practices : catching and

transportation of birds, grading,

isolation, culling & disposal of dead

birds, Farm record keeping

Th + Pr. 2:00 - 3:00 pm 60 min

Check list for week wise

management of birds

Group

work

3:00-4:00 pm 60 min.

3rd

Da

y

Commercially important disease

conditions (major diseases,

symptoms to call for vets)

Theory 10:00 - 11:00

am

60 min

Reflection of the training, training

evaluation, action plan, closing

remarks

11:00 - 12:00

pm

60 min

Pilot Project for rearing 1000 broiler

poultry (Group farming)

Discussion

12:00- 1:00 pm

60 min

Lunch/snacks/refreshment 1:00 – 1:30 pm 30 min

Closing Remarks 1:30 – 2:30 pm 60 min

Annex II. List of Photographs

Thank You!