Review on Production, Husbandry and Sustainability of Free-Ranging Poultry Production Systems in Ethiopia

Abstract

A review was undertaken to obtain the related research results and facts on production, husbandry and sustainability of free-range poultry production systems in Ethiopia with the aim of delivering synthesized and summarized information to the beneficiaries. Poultry production has a major role in poverty alleviation by means of income generation and household food security. Free-range chicken production is characterized by low input and output scavenging, with minimal investment in housing, feeding, watering and health care, and hence weak biosecurity, high off take rates and high mortality rates. The production system in Ethiopia is extensive and dominated by indigenous chickens that exhibit remarkable adaptation to local environments. Generally, it is concluded that, the free-range chicken production system offers many people the opportunity to improve their livelihoods, suggesting that improvement of chicken breeding, production environment, farmers’ access to inputs and markets needs to focus on the free-range chicken production system.