An Analysis of the Value Chain for Indigenous Chickens in Zambia’s Lusaka and Central Provinces

Abstract

Despite the enormous potential that indigenous chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) have for sustaining livelihoods, their production and marketing has been mostly neglected resulting in the sub-sector being highly underdeveloped with poor linkages between producers and consumers. The main objective of this study was to map and analyze the value chain for indigenous chickens in Lusaka and Central Provinces of Zambia. The study also analyzes the value added and the associated costs in the chain. Findings show that although almost all (99 percent) of smallholder households keep indigenous poultry, productivity and production is very low leading to low and unplanned sales. Low production is due to high mortality of indigenous chickens mainly as a result of limited producer knowledge of methods of disease prevention and breeding practices. The absence of processing along the value chain means that chickens are sold live (in open markets) and consequently cannot be retailed through formal channels like supermarkets leading to exclusion of potential middle and high income consumers. Although the value chain for indigenous chicken shows positive gross margins for all the players along the chain, there is need to address the various constraints affecting the value chain in order to improve the operation of the chain and hence lead to increased incomes for the value chain actors and at the same time ensuring cheap delivery of indigenous chicken in a more convenient form and in formal outlets.

Local chickens in East African region: their production and potential

“…In Kenya, a report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries show the presence of 32 million chickens among which over 70% were IC ( MALF, 2015 ). In 2001, Zambia counted 26 million chickens with 11 million being indigenous varieties ( Bwalya, 2014 ). Indigenous chickens have played a substantial role by contributing to the food security of rural households across the developing world.…”

Analysing production and financial data from farmers can serve as a tool for identifying opportunities for enhancing extension delivery among the rural poultry sub-sector in Zambia

“…Volumes of poultry and its products that pass through different players of the value chain in some regions of Zambia have been described in other studies (Bwalya and Kalinda, 2014;Queenan et al, 2016). This study focusses on describing production and conducting financial analysis of rural poultry enterprises at the farm gate in the first year of inception to determine their viability as key poultry producers of Eastern Zambia.…”

“…Within the rural poultry sector, there is indigenous poultry that comprises indigenous chickens, ducks and guinea fowl, which mostly scavenge for feed with limited housing provided. Indigenous poultry production is common in rural communities in Zambia (Songolo and Katongo, 2000;Copland and Alders, 2009;Bwalya and Kalinda, 2014). That popularity is largely due to the low initial investment required and the purported resistance of indigenous poultry to some poultry diseases (Copland and Alders, 2009).…”

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“…Hal serupa diteumukan pada penelitian Kalinda et al, (2014), terlihat bahwa produksi yang tinggi serta adanya lembaga pemasaran formal namun membuat sistem pemasarannya tidak kompetitif dikarenakan struktur pasar yang monopoli. Berbeda halnya dengan hasil penelitian Bwalya et al, (2014) menunjukkan bahwa meskipun komoditas yang diusahakan memiliki produksi yang rendah serta tidak adanya jalur pemasaran yang formal namun lembaga pemasarannya bisa bekerja secara kompetitif dimana semua lembaga pemasarannya mendapatkan marjin yang hampir sepadan atas apa yang telah diusahakan.…”