The profitability, feeding regimes and contribution of small-scale poultry production projects to rural household livelihood security in KwaMkhwanazi traditional ward, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Abstract
Poverty is a common phenomenon amongst rural households in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. Estimates have indicated KwaZulu-Natal as the most populous province in South Africa, containing about 21.0 % of the country’s population. The majority, more than half of the population in the KZN province resides in rural areas. Rural households are engaged in many livelihood strategies to alleviate poverty. Livelihood strategies used by rural households include community gardens, one home one garden, large stock, small stock and poultry production. The most prevalent livelihood strategy is poultry production since it needs less space and less growing time compared to large and small stock and income is generated over a short period. Poultry production is reported as important for income generation and poverty alleviation in many rural areas in Africa. The objectives of this study were to describe the socio economic status of households participating in the poultry production project, describe assets and resources available to households, describe livelihood strategies of participating households and to investigate profitability of small-scale poultry production projects. This study employed mixed methods i.e. The combination of qualitative and quantitative research designs, because they complement each other. The quantitative research design in this current study was composed comprised a survey and experiment. The survey was a situational analysis survey. The experiment was on- station broiler experimental research which compared broiler production in summer and winter. Documentary reviews were done to review existing data that relate to this study. The field of research was an ethnographic study which included observing and interviewing people in their natural setting by interacting with them to gain understanding of the social world. The data collection instruments for quantitative data were structured situation analysis survey interview schedule, broiler record cards for on- station experiments and for summer and winter data for individually -managed and group- managed broiler projects. The situational analysis of broiler production revealed that broiler production was indeed an important livelihood strategy in the study area. There were 17 group-managed broiler projects and 15 individually- managed broiler projects. The two groups of projects were further divided into different categories according to their production type as follows: raising day old chicks to marketing stage, buying matured chickens and selling them at higher price, raising day old chicks to marketing stage, and buying matured chickens and selling them at higher price. The economic study investigated the profitability of broilers under commercial and subsistence production systems production systems. Study conducted at University of Zululand, a total of 400 broiler chicks were used for the experiment. For the small scale production the farmers were responsible for the management of their broilers and taking their own records. The researcher assisted them with record keeping. The study suggested that in general broiler production was profitable. The results from the community show that there was profitability for all the groups involved in the study. The controlled experiment investigated the comparative performance of a standard and a modified feeding regime on the performance of broilers fed commercial diets at the University of Zululand poultry unit. The experiment was conducted in summer and in winter at the University of Zululand poultry unit. A total of 400 broiler chicks were used in the experiment. In winter, 200 day-old chicks were raised in two cages assigned with 100 chicks each. In summer 200 day-old chicks were also raised in two cages each with 100 chicks. Feed for the broiler was from Meadow Feeds Millers purchased from local retailers. The first group (Diet 1) was fed according to Meadow Feeds recommendations and the second group (Diet 2) was fed according to the modified University of Zululand poultry unit programme. The study revealed that the modified diet 2 led to higher feed conversion efficiency and higher growth performance of broilers compared with the modified.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science and Agriculture in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Agriculture and Rural Development in the Department of Agriculture at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2017
Keywords
poultry farming --rural livelihoods --South Africa
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