Production Systems and Phenotypic Variability of the Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) in Sub Sahara Africa

Abstract

The diversity of natural biological resources is at the heart of concerns on food security and climate change. Originating in Africa, guinea fowl constitutes an alternative source of income and protein of animal origin that can be easily mobilized, mainly for rural populations. How-ever, relatively little information is available on its production system, while its genetic diversity remains an enigma in most Sub Sahara African countries. This study therefore aimed to review the production systems and phenotypic variability of the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) in Sub Sahara Africa. It revealed that this species is distributed almost all over the Africa; it is more frequent in many African countries where some studies showed that this species is extensively family farm with a variability of morphometric characters that is a function of sex and environment as well as the production system. This variability seems to indicate its adaptation to environmental conditions. The present review also revealed the need to extend studies to all the agro-ecological zones of Sub Sahara Africa in order to undertake global actions for a sustainable exploitation of the guinea fowl. This would necessarily include variability studies for its genetic improvement, preservation and conservation.