Impact of Private Feed Formulation and Production as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation among Poultry Farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examines the impact of private feed formulation and production as a tool for poverty alleviation among poultry farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria. A total of Ninety-four poultry farmers were selected using a mul ti-stage random sampling technique information was obtained from the respondents through Questionnaires. Most of the farmers were between 31 and 60 years (71.3%) males (78.7%) and married (81.9%). Majority, of them (83%) owned and managed their farms, formally educated and their income, ranges below N25,000.00 and above N50,000.00. 47.9% operates small size farms and 33% operates medium size farms. 63.8% milled their feed privately either on-farm or at commercial milling centres while assurance of feed quality and availability ranked first among perceived impacts recorded. Also, quality of feed ingredients and technical expertise ranked highest amongst constraints of private feed production. Significant relationship was found between farm size (number of birds) and source of feed production as well as constraints to private feed production while a non-significant relationship existed between farm size and impact perceived by the poultry farmers. It is recommended that research institutes in collaboration with extension agencies should conduct training and workshops for poultry farmers to build and increase their capacities, knowledge and skills to actively participate in private feed formulation and production in the study area so that their prolonged stay in the poverty bracket that has become-the burden of majority of the poultry farmers can be a thing of the past.