Family Poultry Farming in Sri Lanka: An Integral Component of Protein Security, Poverty Alleviation and Public Health

Family poultry farming plays a crucial role in ensuring protein availability and household income, particularly in low-income families. This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes and practices of family poultry farmers regarding poultry diseases, biosecurity and vaccinations. The research involved surveying 150 farmers in a selected area in Sri Lanka's western province, revealing significant knowledge gaps, particularly in understanding poultry diseases, their causes, transmission pathways and potential impacts on humans. Most respondents demonstrated a lack of familiarity with biosecurity practices, with only a small fraction accurately identified recommended measures. Among the total respondents, only 16.7% were familiar with the term 'biosecurity'. Additionally, only 29.3% recognized that family poultry could pose a threat to public health. A significant majority (84.67%) admitted to not knowing which diseases could be effectively prevented through vaccination, and 80% of respondents had never vaccinated their birds. These findings highlight the challenges faced by family poultry farmers due to their limited understanding of crucial aspects of poultry management. The study underscores the need for government intervention and policy development to address these issues. Education and training programmes are essential to enhance farmers' awareness regarding disease control, biosecurity measures and the benefits of vaccination.