PROMOTION OF BACK YARD POULTRY FOR AUGMENTING EGG CONSUMPTION IN RURALHOUSEHOLDS

摘要

There is high prevalence of protein calorie malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in India, particularly in growing children and women. This is understandable since cereal-based Indian diets are qualitatively deficient in micronutrients due to low intake of vegetables, fruits, pulses and foods of livestock origin Apart from micronutrients, livestock-based foods are good source of high quality protein. Amongst foods of livestock origin, poultry egg is most promising in terms of cost benefit ratio. While the consumption of animal meat in India has declined between 1985 and 2003 that of poultry meat and eggs has increased. This is possible due to tremendous increase in commercial poultry farms. Price of poultry has shown little rise from 1996-2006 due to increased competition, and organised marketing of poultry products simultaneous with remarkable improvements in genetics, nutrition, disease management and housing of birds. Commercial poultry has largely benefited urban population since these large farms are established around urban and peri-urban areas where large demand for theseproducts exists. Transport of live birds or even eggs is difficult for rural areas because of poor roads and scarce demand. Back yard poultry (BYP) offers great promise in these areas more in terms of household food security than income, though potentialfor augmenting income and employment for women is also there45. Back yard poultry, with nondescript country birds is routinely found in rural households in India. These birds are well acclimatised, have prominent brooding behaviour and mothering ability. But they are small in size; lay only 30-40 eggs per year making BYP uneconomical and nutritionally inadequate. In recent years improved birds for BYP which are good layers yielding over 150 eggs per year have been developed.