Some technical and socioeconomic factors affecting productivity and profitability of smallholder family poultry

Smallholder family poultry is affected by many technical factors including low bio-security, restriction to live bird markets, inadequate sources of inputs and services especially sources of technical information as well as by lack of genetically improved breeds. The free-range or scavenging system results in high chick mortality and intestinal worm infestation. The productivity and profitability of this sector, it is argued, is affected more by lack of knowledge among producers, marketers, extension service, researchers and government policy makers and a non-supportive educational system which looks down upon smallholdings and provides a negative incentive to their development.