Backyard poultry farming with improved germplasm: Sustainable food production and nutritional security in fragile ecosystem

Abstract

Approximately 3 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2019 because of poverty and inequality. Most of these people live in Asia and Africa. Furthermore, 30% of the world population was affected by moderate to severe food insecurity in 2020, and most of this population lives in low- and middle-income countries. The world is at a critical juncture, and there is an urgent need for transformative food systems that ensure the empowerment of poor and vulnerable population groups, often smallholders with limited access to resources or those living in remote locations, as well as the empowerment of women, children, and youth (FAO, 2018). The backyard poultry production system (BPPS), as practiced by 80% of the world's rural population, can be that transformative change in low- and middle-income countries. Although the BPPS has low productivity, it still plays an important role in the food and nutritional security of rural people living in fragile ecosystems. Backyard poultry has been recognized as a tool for poverty alleviation and women empowerment besides ensuring food and nutritional security for rural poor. Poultry meat and eggs are the cheapest and best source of good quality protein, minerals, and vitamins. The introduction of improved backyard poultry germplasm has improved the productivity of this system in resource-poor settings and thereby improved the income and nutritional security of poor households. With these birds, the availability, access, utilization, and stability of food security have improved at household and national levels. Diseases, predation, non-availability of improved germplasm, lack of access to markets, and lack of skills are the major constraints to the adoption of improved backyard poultry. These constraints can be addressed by involving a network of community animal service providers. The improved backyard poultry germplasm will dominate the backyard poultry production system in the future and will be a tool for ensuring food and nutritional security on a sustainable basis, more particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Indigenous chicken production system in different agro-ecology of Indian Himalayan Region: implication on food and economic security

“…The percentage of indigenous chicken units owned by women was higher in sub-temperate agro-ecology. It has previously been reported that in less developed regions, indigenous chicken is generally owned and managed by women ( 7 , 17 , 23 , 24 ). In sub-temperate agro-ecology, the respondents had less education level.…”

“…Although their productivity is lower than that of intensively raised birds ( 9 ), indigenous chickens contribute to food and nutritional security, economic security, and ecological resilience ( 3 , 5 , 10 ). In Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), the indigenous chickens have been part of the indigenous food system of tribal and indigenous people for centuries ( 7 , 11 ).…”

“…Indigenous people’s food has animal source food (ASF) to meet their dietary requirements. The indigenous chicken production system is an important enterprise for tribal farmers in the IHR ( 7 , 11 ). However, of late indigenous food systems in the IHR are threatened by deforestation, climate changes, migration, the introduction of an intensive agricultural production system ( 14 ), changes in dietary habits, mono-cropping, commodity crops, soil degradation, and market decline.…”

Ecological impacts of poultry waste on urban raptors: conflicts, diseases, and climate change implications amidst pandemic threats

“…These changes are primarily driven by the collective impacts of demand-supply chains, urban planning, and poultry management on public health concerns (GoI, 2022; S. Kumar et al, 2017). As a result, the traditional practice of rearing poultry in sheds and backyards is being replaced by organised poultry cooperatives (GoI, 2019), which is affecting the number of country-breeds and homogenising the overall poultry germplasm (Bennett et al, 2018;Chatterjee & Rajkumar, 2015;M. Singh et al, 2022).…”

Trends in livestock population, production, productivity, availability, and demand in the Nagaland State of India

“…Livestock and poultry farming are practiced by the people since time immemorial and are symbolic to the health and wealth of a Naga family (Singh et al 2019a). Livestock farming plays a pivotal role in supplementing family income and generating employment (Singh et al 2022) for the rural poor apart from efficient utilization of agricultural products and byproducts not suitable for human consumption (GON 2015, Report of Task force on agriculture development).…”