Backyard Poultry Farming Among Urban Poor Households in Bangladesh: Production Capacity and Potential Contribution to Food Security

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the potential influence of backyard poultry farming, which can be readily established in urban and peri-urban environments, on the production capacity of backyard poultry and its potential contribution to food security among low-income households. Publicly accessible secondary microdata from the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey were used. To account for the non-random nature of backyard poultry-keeping decisions, the Heckman selection model was applied to estimate both the probability of engaging in poultry farming and the number of birds raised. The study revealed that over 20% of urban households and more than 30% of the poorest 11% households engaged in poultry farming. Although the number of birds raised is generally lower, the proportion of households raising poultry is higher among poorer households than among wealthier households. Among the poorest 11% households, the estimated per capita production of meat and eggs from backyard poultry farming was expected to be 5.4 g and 6.8 g per day, respectively. Due to data constraints, we compare production estimates with stratum-level consumption averages, providing an indication of potential contribution rather than household-level self-sufficiency. This comparison suggests that backyard poultry could serve as an important supplementary source, potentially contributing to approximately 15% of meat consumption and 47% of egg consumption for participating households from the lowest income strata.