Working model to ensure food, nutritional security and employment in Kumaon hills through poultry rearing

The study evaluated the prevalent poultry production systems in the Kumaon hilly regions of Uttarakhand. The contractual arrangements in poultry farming have functionaries at three different levels, viz., Uttarakhand Government/private sector operated mother hatcheries, the NGOs/SHGs – Nursery contract operator rearing day old chicks (DOCs) till 3–4 weeks and members of SHGs involved in backyard/family poultry rearing. The mother hatcheries supplied DOCs to the NGOs or Self Help Groups (SHGs). The NGOs/SHGs in turn sold the grown up chicks to the individual farmers (preferably members of the SHGs) who reared them in the backyard in small flocks of 525 chicks depending upon availability of open space and resources to procure them. The adult male birds weighing 3–4 kgs in 20–24 weeks were sold in the vicinity market for over Rs.500 per bird whereas the female birds were reared for eggs. The poultry birds reared were all coloured. The most popular were Kuroiler followed by Chabro, CARI-Nirbhik and Vanraja. Economics of backyard poultry production systems revealed that on an average two batches of birds were reared annually. The per batch income generation was Rs 5440 per family with a BC ratio of 2.94. Besides, consumption of eggs and meat at the household level also added to their food and nutritional security. The poultry was also reared in semi-intensive systems having farm capacity of 300–1000 broilers per batch. Economics of semi-intensive broiler production systems revealed that the rearing cost was Rs 93.92/broiler. The net profit was Rs 12.46 per broiler with a BC ratio was 1.13. The study concluded that the model of poultry farming prevalent in the hilly regions of Kumaon was quite successful and was in sync with the socio-economic status of the hill population which was essentially resource poor. The model was successful in addressing gender and equity issues also through women empowerment.