Implementing small-scale poultry-for-nutrition projects: Successes and lessons learned

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Development
• Public Health Nutrition
• Socioeconomics

Background:

• Village poultry production is a common livelihood strategy in low-resource settings.
• Nutrition-sensitive agriculture programs aim to improve dietary intake through food production.
• Helen Keller International (HKI) implemented a model for nutrition-sensitive poultry production in diverse African contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate HKI's nutrition-sensitive poultry production model in rural and urban African settings.
• To assess the uptake of best practices, poultry productivity, and egg consumption patterns.
• To understand women's involvement and control in poultry production and its impact on empowerment.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional surveys conducted every 5 months among approximately 15% of participating households.
• Data collection focused on adoption of improved practices, poultry mortality, egg productivity, and consumption.
• Qualitative observations on women's roles and control over poultry revenues.

Main Results:

• Limited uptake of many "best practices" despite training and inputs; few constructed improved henhouses.
• Variable vaccination rates, highest with support; high poultry mortality.
• Average egg productivity, low egg consumption; however, children of mothers exposed to nutrition messages were more likely to eat eggs.

Conclusions:

• Strong behavior change communication is crucial for increasing egg consumption.
• Nutrition-sensitive poultry programs may benefit from focusing on improved practices over breeds.
• Women's empowerment requires complementary activities supporting ownership and decision-making, not just production support.