Backyard Poultry Rearing Project Guidelines

1. Brief Background

Over 90 percent of char households in Bangladesh rear poultry and thus it is an

important source of cash flow and means of supplementing household nutrition for poor
families. Backyard poultry (deshi) rearing predominates, with small flock sizes managed
under a scavenging system, kept in traditional housing and fed on household waste,
crop residues, etc. In the absence of commercial feed and vaccination, local poultry
growth rate and productivity (meat, chick and egg production) is low and mortality is
high. Local hens produce about 40-60 eggs per year and annual mortality can reach
100% due to a lack of immunity to Newcastle disease and seasonal pandemic diseases
like Avian Influenza (AI).

Improved Backyard Poultry Rearing is a suitable HH income generating activity for char
women that requires minimal input. Improved and organised rearing practices like
vaccination, provision of commercial feed, early separation, use of incubation pots,
candling, provision of feed and water during incubation, and improved housing can help
poultry rearers to improve their livelihoods through improving household incomes and
nutrition.

Under CLP1, the Improved Backyard Poultry Rearing project has proven its potential in
terms of providing increased and more regular earning source to char dwellers as a
result of minor practice changes and small investments; for example, in improved
housing, which has been provided to 900 “model rearers” at a 50% subsidised rate.
25,797 participants have been trained in improved rearing techniques, which most of
them are currently practicing, helping them to earn 3-4 times higher profits within a
production cycle of 6-8 months than they would under traditional backyard poultry
rearing. Project participants are receiving an average of Tk 312.00 a month from chicken
and egg sales against an average monthly investment of Tk 53.50.

Despite these successes, a key issue emerging was the low participation rate (28%) of
CPHHs, as the project focused on assisting the broader community. Under CPL2, the
project will concentrate solely on CPHHs.

The other key modification to the project will be a shift in the nature of feed and
vaccination provision. Under CLP1, Livestock Service Providers (LSPs) undertook this
responsibility. However, it was found that, due to high work workloads, LSPs were not
that interested in supplying feed and vaccine services to poultry rearers. Thus under
CLP2, vaccinators will be introduced. These vaccinators will undertake vaccination of
poultry owned by project participants, as well as providing feed directly to households.
LSPs will help to get vaccinators with feed and vaccine if they have fridge and feed
business locally. Following are the objectives of the project;
 To increase participating households’ incomes by 20% and egg consumption by
25% through adoption and extension of improved backyard poultry rearing
practices and access to necessary supplies and services through vaccinators, 18
months after CLP asset purchase;
 To provide employment opportunities to 600 chars women, who will work as
vaccinators.
2. Methodology

Importance aspects of backyard poultry rearing will be discussed in the orientation and
yard meeting and willing participants will be selected for the project. It is expected that
about 75% of the total CPHHs will be interested to participate in the project. Willing
participants will be supported by poultry feed and vaccine through voucher. Around 7.5%
of the total CPHHs (2-3 CPHH from each core group) will be selected as model poultry
rearers and will be supported to prepare improved poultry house and to provide cash for
purchasing hens. All the poultry participants will be provided training on improved poultry
rearing techniques. They also will learn different issues related to poultry rearing from
the yard meeting. Different training and meeting on poultry rearing will take place at near
by the model poultry rearer’s house. The yard meetings should focus on the changes in
practice like routine vaccination, provision of commercial feed, early separation, use of
incubation pots, candling, provision of feed and water during incubation etc. This
methodology will allow CPHHs and other people within the char to follow and adopt
improved poultry rearing techniques.

3. Activity steps

3.1 Selection of CPHHs for the project

IMO Livestock Officer (LO)/Livelihoods Development Officer (LDO) will select willing
CPHHs based on following criteria. About 75% of the total CPHHs will be selected as
poultry project participants. Around 7.5% of the total CPHHs (2-3 CPHH from each core
group) will be selected as model poultry rearers.

Poultry participant selection Criteria

 Must be CPHHs (non CPHHs can join in training, but will not be entitled to get
vouchers or housing & hen support);
 Must have 1-3 chickens and be willing to buy and rear poultry;
 Must be willing to attend training/yard meeting;
 Must be willing to invest small amounts to buy poultry feed and vaccine; and
 Ideally, should possess a locally made poultry shed or model shed.

3.2 Develop Poultry vaccinator

LO/LDO will select willing participant as poultry vaccinator based on following criteria.
One poultry vaccinator will be selected for 100 CPHHs. The poultry vaccinator will
participate at the training to learn about the techniques of vaccination & de-worming and
primary treatment of poultry. After receiving training poultry vaccinator will vaccinate
poultry and provide poultry feed to the CPHHs in exchange of voucher. She also will
vaccinate poultry and sell poultry feed to the community people. The vouchers will be
redeemed from the respective IMO. IMO Accounts Manager/LO/LDO Officer will pay in
cash pay point near to vaccinators on a periodic time maintaining proper documents of
transaction by staff as well vaccinators. Respective LSPs will be encouraged to sell
poultry feed as a commercially viable business and closely work with vaccinators to
promote feed and vaccine services. LSPs and vaccinators will be introduced to whole-
sellers of feed and vaccine through buyer-supplier meetings. If respective LSP is not
interested to work as feed seller then the vaccinator will be introduced with near by
poultry feed seller. Participants will be introduced to local bulk buyers (paikars) of eggs
and chicken through training or yard meetings.
Selection criteria of poultry vaccinator
 CPHH of the respective groups will get priority;
 Physically and mentally fit to work on chars;
 Well accepted in the community;
 Willingness to participate training and meeting and to work with poultry;
 Will be project participants as self-employed business women, serving poultry
rearers as independent suppliers/practitioners.

3.2 Different input support for the project participants

Each poultry participant will get vouchers of Tk 850 (Tk 650 for feed and Tk 200 for
vaccine) to meet initial feed and vaccine expenses. 75% of the total CPHHs will get
voucher support. Each model poultry rearer will receive Tk.1,500 for making improved
poultry house and Tk.1,000 for purchasing hen. 7.5% of the total CPHHs will get model
poultry rearing support. Each poultry vaccinator will get poultry vaccination kit box and
cool box for carrying vaccines. Respective LO/LDO will provide all kinds of support
maintaining proper documents.

3.4 Training and meeting

IMO staff (LO/LDO) will organize and conduct training on poultry rearing for the all
CPHHs. They will organize separate training on improved poultry rearing techniques for
model poultry rearers. They will also organize and conduct training for poultry vaccinator
on the techniques of vaccination & de-worming and primary treatment of poultry. All
CPHHs will learn about improved poultry rearing from yard meeting.

4. Activity Outline

 Livestock Officer (LO)/Livelihoods Development Officer (LDO) of IMO will discuss

with the core group members about the objectives, benefit and other aspects of
the backyard poultry rearing project;
 Identify and select potential participants as well as model poultry rearers and
poultry vaccinators considering the criteria mentioned above;
 Before finalizing the name of model poultry raerers and poultry vaccinator
LO/LDO will visit house of respective CPHHs and observe the practical situation
of the existing poultry (is she belonging any poultry or not);
 LO/LDO will give clear idea to the model poultry rearers about the possible cost
for preparing an improved poultry house and inputs, how much money CLP will
provide, and how much she needs to spend from own resources. They also will
discuss with poultry vaccinator about the investment of some money for poultry
feed business;
 LO/LDO will give clear idea about the cost benefit of poultry rearing intervention
to the all category of poultry participants according to the Annex-1;
 LO/LDO will give provide voucher of Tk 850 (Tk 650 for feed and Tk 200 for
vaccine) to poultry participants to meet initial feed and vaccine expenses. They
will provide Tk.1,500 for making improved poultry house and Tk.1,000 for
purchasing hen to the model poultry rearers.
 LO/LDO will organize and conduct one round training on poultry rearing for all
CPHHs according to the schedule in Annex-2 and supplied training module and
flipchart;
  LO/LDO will organize and conduct five rounds training (three round basic
training and two rounds refreshers training) on improved poultry rearing
techniques for model all CPHHs according to the schedule in Annex-3 and
supplied training module and flipchart;
 LO/LDO will show/assist all poultry participants to prepare improved poultry
house through yard meeting and training. They will discuss the poultry rearing
related topics in every yard meeting according to the schedule ;
 LO/LDO will organize and conduct five rounds training for poultry vaccinator.
Three round basic training: 1st round for 3 days, 2nd round for 2 days and 3rd
round for 1 day and two rounds refreshers training: one day long each on
vaccination and de-worming techniques and primary treatment of poultry
according to the schedule in Annex-4 and supplied training module and flipchart;
 LDO will visit the activities of poultry participants at least once in month while LO
will visit the activities of model poultry rearers and vaccinators at least once in a
month. LO will also visit the activities of other poultry participants during his as
usual visit and accordingly LDO will also the activities of model poultry rearers
and poultry vaccinators. During visit LO/LDO will check the production status of
poultry, status of income-expenditure and provide suggestion accordingly. They
will collect information according to the supplied formats in Annex-5 and follow up
improvement of their previous visit;
 MLDS will visit the activities of poultry project randomly and provide necessary
suggestion to the participants as well as to the respective staff. He will be
responsible to keep the project in right tract;
 Markets and Livelihoods district staff will visit the CPHHs’ homes and monitor the
poultry project activities which have been implementing by IMOs. Any suspicion
of malpractice should be reported immediately to CLP senior management.

5. MIS reporting requirements

LO/LDO will keep participant-wise information and prepare month wise target and
achievement report according to the format in the Annex-6. They also will collect and
keep information of model poultry rears and poultry vaccinators according to the formats
in the Annex-7 and Annex-8. LO/LDO will submit the report monthly basis to the MLDS.
MLDS will prepare monthly progress report of the respective IMO and will provide these
to Markets and Livelihoods district staff through Project Managers. District staff will
consolidate the reports of respective IMOs submit to the Livelihoods Coordinator (LC).
Each month the LC will compile and analyse data from these reports and will prepare a
final report. The final report is to be submitted to the Markets and Livelihoods Unit
Manager and the CLP’s Innovation, Monitoring and Learning (IML) Division for reviewing
or comments.

5. Impact Monitoring

The CLP’s Innovation, Monitoring and Learning (IML) Division an impact study after one
year, focusing on impact of participation in the project on households’ incomes and egg
and chicken consumption and assessing the level of sustainability of the project.
6. Risks and how they are mitigated

Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease are key risk factors associated with poultry
rearing. In order to mitigate this risk, Avian Influenza (AI) related awareness, bio-security
and cleanliness will be discussed during training and some cautionary information will be
disseminated.

7. Expected Results

 At least 75% of CPHHs will be poultry project participants and practice an

improved backyard poultry rearing system to produce and market more chickens
and eggs;
 After 6-8 months of participating in the project, each general poultry participant
will earn at least Tk. 200-300 per month while model poultry rearers will earn
Tk.5,00-800 per month;
 50-60% of participants will be involved in egg and chicken sales 18 months after
CLP asset transfer;
 At least 600 women will be trained as poultry vaccinators, earning Tk. 750-1000
per month.