Poultry sector development, highly pathogenic avian influenza and the smallholder production systems.

Abstract

Abstract Poultry sectors are the fastest-changing component of the general livestock sector. These changes are typified by tremendous growth in poultry populations in industrial production systems. These industrial systems generally separate feed mills, breeding, production and processing into different operations. In a competitive market environment, such operations may be physically separated, but are closely integrated by strong private regulations. In less competitive market environments, encouraged by protection policies, industrial poultry chains are loosely integrated and are weakly regulated by governments. Large breeding flocks continue to exist, but are very weakly linked to low investment fattening and layer production units. Investment in processing is low and live bird markets are commonly used to market products. Loosely integrated industrial chains create enormous risks for the spread of contagious diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), and affect the smallholder poultry producers who live and work alongside the industrial units and traditionally use live-bird markets for the sale of their own products and purchase of poultry. The review will discuss how changes in sector policy could improve industrial poultry sector performance and in turn reduce risks to the smallholder producers.