An Analysis of the Challenges Faced by Small Scale Backyard Chicken Farmers of Dhemaji District of Assam

Abstract

Aims: The present study was conducted to know the challenges faced by the small scale backyard chicken farmers of Dhemaji district of Assam. Study Design: The data obtained on various challenges faced by the farmers under the study were tabulated and analyzed statistically by using Garrett’s Ranking Technique. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhemaji, Assam Agricultural University, Simen Chapori, Dhemaji, Assam during the year, 2020-21. Methodology: For the purpose, a questionnaire was prepared for surveying and data were collected about various challenges in backyard chicken rearing faced by the farmers of the district. The farmers were asked to identify the challenges he or she and the fellow farmers of their villages faced with respect to rearing of local chickens in their locality and to rank the challenges from 1 to 20 according to the seriousness of the challenges faced by them. Results: Lack of suitable germplasm was found to be the major challenge of poultry farmers with mean score of 74.89 and ranked first among the constraints in backyard chicken rearing. Higher incidence of diseases (68.95), unavailability of feed and feed ingredients (66.55) and mortality of young chicks (63.00) were ranked second, third and fourth major challenges, respectively. On the other hand, non availability of vaccine, higher cost of feeds and feed ingredients, lack of extension training or service, high cost of farm equipments were ranked fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, as challenges in backyard chicken rearing. Lack of organized marketing facilities, lack of knowledge on scientific poultry farming, high cost of chicks, presence of middle man, higher mortality during brooding period, inability to diagnose sick birds, inadequate veterinary facilities, seasonal price fluctuations, high cost of medicaments, lack of credit facilities, social problems like damaging of the standing crops by the birds and complaint by neighbours, loss of birds due to predators or thieves were some other constraints of lower importance as indicated by the respondents for the backyard chicken farmers surveyed during the study. Conclusion: From the study, it can be concluded that the small scale backyard poultry farmers of Dhemaji district of Assam have a lot many challenges in chicken rearing in village conditions, the major being the lack of suitable germplasm and higher incidence of diseases. To address such problems there should be proper initiatives from government level as well as in farmers’ collaborative approach to introduce some newly developed improved chicken breeds and awareness about proper disease prevention and bio-security measures and creation of other facilities.