Characterisation of indigenous chicken production systems in the Sudano-sahelian zone of Cameroon

摘要

FromJanuarytoSeptember2010,studieswereundertakeninrural,peri-urbanandurbanareasoftheSudano-sahelianagro-ecologicalzoneofCameroontocharacterizetheproductionsystemofindigenouschickenpopulations.Thestudywasalsoaimedatgeneratinginformationonvillagebasedindigenouschickenutilization,managementpractices,opportunitiesandchallenges.ThirteenvillageswereinvestigatedintheFar-northandNorthregionsusingastructuredquestionnaire.ThestudyofSudano-sahelianlocalchickenproductionsystemrevealedthatwomenareresponsibleforchickenrearinginhouseholds(72.5%),thelevelofeducationwasvariable,with45.1%sampledfarmerswhohavenevergonetoschool,andonly3.9%havingpostsecondaryschoolofeducation.Auto-consumptionofchickenwasthegeneralandmajorobjectiveofchickenbreedinginthearea(23.5%).Goat,cattle,sheepandsmallbirdswereassociatedtochickensinthehouseholdbytheproportionsof32.21,28.11,10.70,and17.79%respectively.Themajorityoffarmers(76.5%)supplementtheirchickensandsharetheirhouse(60.8%)withtheiranimals.Healthcarewasnegligible,sincenovaccination(70.6%)andnomedicaltreatment(54.9%)wasgiventoanimals.Diseasesandpredatorsarethemainchallenges(15.7%)inthelocalchickenproductionsystemintheSudano-sahelianagro-ecologicalzoneofCameroon.Majorityofinterviewedchickenownersshowedagreatinteresttoboostupexistingvillagechickenproductioninthearea.Effortsshouldbemadetoimprovetheproductionandproductivityofvillagechickeninasustainablewayandtoshiftfromtheextensivesystemtosemi-intensivehusbandry,withemphasisondisciplinarysupportofserviceslike:health,husbandry,research,extensiontrainingandcreditintervention.