Scientific Interventions for Improving Livelihood and Nutritional Security of Farm Women through Backyard Poultry Farming

24 July 2024, New Delhi: Mrs. Eliza Dsouza, a young poultry farmer from Thivim, Bardez taluka of Goa, faced challenges in backyard poultry farming in 2019. She owned a small coop in the low-land and experienced early chick mortality due to the lack of scientific management awareness, cannibalism and coccidiosis in her flock, and inability to self-vaccinate. Mrs. Dsouza also faced challenges in increasing flock size due to improper breeding, incubation of fertile eggs, higher commercial chick procurement costs, and layer management issues during rainy and summer seasons.

The poultry farmer attended training on scientific poultry farming at ICAR-CCARI, Goa, gaining knowledge on flock handling, housing, feeding practices, egg collection, and breeder flock management. She constructed a poultry shed in hot, high-rainfall areas using scientific recommendations and improved backyard Gramapriya germplasm from the institute’s poultry unit. The NABARD-funded project provided her a chicks, a feeder, a waterer, and chick feed. She utilized the institute’s hatchery services for fertile egg production and hatched chicks.

During the demonstration, she was trained to prepare feed from locally available herbs and plants through which she reduced the feed costs. Mrs. Dsouza followed a proper lighting regimen during the rainy season to sustain the productivity of layers and prevented coccidiosis by proper litter management. She also followed biosecurity measures and acquired skills in debeaking and vaccination that reduced flock mortality.

Mrs. Eliza initially started with 20 Gramapriya chicks and gradually expanded her farm to accommodate around 250 Gramapriya parent stock. She breeds 160 chicks per batch for future generations through selective breeding and hatching. She also housed diversified poultry such as a few guinea fowls, turkeys, and local hens in different sheds.

Mrs. Dsouza, a novice poultry farmer in Goa, optimizes egg yield and markets her produce under the brand “JOAN’S Farm”. Beyond personal consumption, she sold her produce in local markets earning Rs. 97,000/- in the year 2023. Emerging as one of the rising women poultry farmers in Goa, Mrs. Eliza Dsouza serves as an inspiration for others venturing into poultry farming.

(For Latest Agriculture News & Updates, follow Krishak Jagat on Google News)
(+80 Million Farming Audience Visits Krishak Jagat’s Hindi Website – Click Here for Website)