Funding boosts poultry production in rural Africa

The World Poultry Foundation (WPF) has received a 4 year $21.4 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to enhance poultry production in Tanzania and Nigeria.

Working closely with government and in-country private sector partners, the WPF will lead a project that will catalyse a transformation of rural poultry production in these 2 countries.

Photo: AFP |Pius Utomi Ekpei

Increase poultry production

This initiative will increase poultry production and productivity through the access of low-input dual purpose birds, increase rural household income, improve household nutrition and empower women.

Also interesting: Making a difference with eggs; becoming self-supporting with the use of agriculture.

“This grant provides us with an opportunity to implement a strategy that creates access of improved genetics to the rural famers, provides technical assistance and training, and offers access to markets that may not have been possible before,” said Randall Ennis, CEO of the World Poultry Foundation. “Our goal is to impact 2.5 million households across Tanzania and Nigeria by the end of this 4-year initiative.”

Building a sustainable supply chain

“Unlike past approaches of delivering free chicks and feed to the rural farmers, this project will focus on training and extension support to build a sustainable value chain,” Ennis said.

“Another key component of the project is the establishment of over 1,500 entrepreneurial enterprises – primarily owned and managed by women – that will supply healthy brooded and vaccinated chicks to the rural smallholder farmers.”