Working with INFPD to support Smallholder Poultry Development

KYEEMA collaborated with the International Network for Family Poultry Development (INFPD), an independent and voluntary association on the Smallholder Poultry Development program, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to build local capacity to develop, lead and implement innovative solutions for the improvement of livelihoods through poultry production and marketing related to small-scale poultry production.

Rural poultry keeping and marketing offer one of the few opportunities that rural poor can join for enhancing household food security and income generating activities, especially if they lack access to land, training and capital.

Simple, affordable interventions based on good husbandry practices can have a substantial impact on productivity, primarily by reducing mortality and losses.

Promising poultry scientists working in the field of poultry development in developing countries were given international exposure and work experience on selected IFAD and FAO projects. Outputs from their assignments (training material, guidelines, checklists and decision support tools) have been used by IFAD and FAO and also the broader poultry development community: producer associations, NGOs, private sector and micro-finance organisations etc.

FAO also produced a popular series of 13 short educational videos for anyone interested in the implementation of family poultry development program as a direct outcome of the program: FAO Family poultry production series. They highlight the general role and situation of family poultry and their contribution to food security, income generation and gender equality; give information about family poultry nutrition and feeding in the different production systems; address topics of poultry health and disease control; and give information about the importance of assessing the economic aspects in family poultry development.

KYEEMA contributed to the training program and was part of the Program Steering Committee. The program ran from November 2009 to October 2012.