Participatory evaluation of chicken health and production constraints in Ethiopia
This study in Preventive Veterinary Medicine aims to investigate, using participatory research methods, the constraints facing both backyard and semi-intensive chicken farmers in and around Debre Zeit, Ethiopia. The goal of the study is to identify key issues to be addressed in order to facilitate the role of chicken production as a means to reduce poverty in Ethiopian livelihoods. Participants identified 9 categories of constraints: the most important overall were disease and access to feed. Despite generally detailed knowledge of disease risk factors, biosecurity measures were lacking or ineffective. The authors suggest that although many of these constraints may be viewed as technical issues to be overcome, the findings highlight underlying social factors that must also be addressed. An important recommendation of the report is that the low involvement of women in semi-intensive production needs to be recognized by poultry development schemes.