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Raising Backyard Poultry in Rural Bangladesh: Financial and Nutritional Benefits, but Persistent Risky Practices.
I S Shanta1, Md A Hasnat1, N Zeidner1
1icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
|June 18, 2016
Summary
Backyard poultry farming in rural Bangladesh significantly boosts household income and nutrition, offering a high return on investment. However, poultry raisers largely ignored government avian influenza (H5N1) prevention guidelines, posing a continued public health risk.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Economics
- Public Health
- Zoonotic Disease Prevention
Background:
- Backyard poultry farming is a common practice in rural Bangladesh, contributing to household livelihoods.
- The Government of Bangladesh initiated a campaign in 2007 to promote 10 precautions against H5N1 (avian influenza) transmission from poultry to humans.
- Understanding the economic and nutritional impact of poultry, alongside current farming practices, is crucial for effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the contribution of backyard poultry to household economy and nutrition in rural Bangladesh.
- To compare existing poultry-raising practices with government recommendations for preventing avian influenza transmission.
- To assess the impact of a government mass media campaign on producer behavior.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study conducted from 2009 to 2012.
- Nationally representative sample of 2489 primary backyard poultry raisers from 115 rural villages.
- Data collection through interviews on poultry-raising practices, household income, and nutrition over 2-12 month follow-up periods.
Main Results:
- Backyard poultry accounted for 2.8% of monthly household income with a 480% return on annual investment (ROI).
- Poultry raisers demonstrated poor adherence to H5N1 prevention guidelines; 60% had never heard of avian influenza, and many handled sick/deceased poultry without precautions.
- Reported practices did not improve during the study, indicating a lack of impact from government recommendations.
Conclusions:
- Raising backyard poultry is economically and nutritionally beneficial in rural Bangladesh, offering a substantial ROI.
- Government recommendations for H5N1 risk reduction were largely unknown or ignored by poultry producers.
- Future interventions must integrate avian influenza risk reduction with efforts to enhance poultry productivity.
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