Sustainable Small-Scale Poultry Production: Are Local Feeds a Viable Option for the Pacific Region?

Sustainable Small-Scale Poultry Production: Are Local Feeds a Viable Option for the Pacific Region?

Author: P.C. Glatz, Science Leader, Pigs and Poultry, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, South Australia 5371, Australia

Date: 09/07/2012

Introduction:

The lack of regional small-scale feed manufacturing plants, high cost of imported feed and cheap imports are holding back the development of the smallholder poultry sector in Pacific countries. As there are adequate supplies in some regions of locally produced feed ingredients (cassava, sweet potato, coconut, maize), the prospect for alternative feedstuffs is in the semi-commercial or family poultry units. For these sectors, profitability rather than maximum production is the objective, and alternative feedstuffs can make a useful contribution in poultry feeding.

In his article, Glatz examines four feeding strategies to produce effective poultry rations that are in line with the regional availability of feed resources. With a complete ration formulation using local ingredients, egg production was significantly lower in birds fed the local mix ration compared to the commercial ration. Testing free-choice feeding, the birds showed the capacity to regulate their intake according to their physiological requirements, provided that the three food groups were readily available. Using a mix of concentrate with local ingredients, birds fed a 50/50 sweet potato / low-energy concentrate or a 50/50 cassava / high-energy concentrate diets were able to reach market weight in due time. A 70/30 sweet potato / low-energy concentrate diet was effective only in the more suitable environment of the Western Province of PNG. Diluting commercial broiler finisher with 20-40% copra meal resulted in similar growth as the 100% broiler finisher control diet (inclusion of 60% copra meal resulted in somewhat less acceptable growth). 

Poultry farming in the Pacific using local feeds can be competitive and achieve 30% feed cost savings when mini-mill equipment is readily available and small-scale regional feed manufacturing centres (producing 5-10 tonnes/week) are built where local feed supply is plentiful.

Source: Knowledge for development: http://knowledge.cta.int/Dossiers/S-T-Issues/Reducing-Postharvest-Losses-A-Challenge-for-the-Scientific-Community/Feature-articles/Sustainable-Small-Scale-Poultry-Production-Are-Local-Feeds-a-Viable-Option-for-the-Pacific-Region

Check this out! "ACCESS AGRICULTURE"

This might be of interest and very useful to yous .. distribute this out to your networks please.

Access Agriculture is an international NGO which showcases agricultural training videos in local languages. Here you can see examples of videos, download them or order a DVD copy. The audio tracks can also be downloaded by radio stations. This is a platform for agricultural R&D staff, service providers, extension agents, communication professionals and representatives of farmer organisations to see what training videos are available and request new language versions. The videos are all designed to support sustainable agriculture in developing countries. For maximum impact in improving opportunities for farmers explore Access Agriculture.

Be part of a platform for change.

Check out this link for more information 

http://www.accessagriculture.org/

Fiji Budget announcement on Agriculture, Fisheries, Forests and ICT

Happy New Year Everyone!

So we started of the new year with GREAT NEWS for our youths as Fiji PM and Minister for Finance Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama presented the 2013 Budget.


Source: http://www.fiji.gov.fj/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7155%3Apm-bainimarama-2013-fiji-budget-speech&catid=67%3Afiji-header-stories&Itemid=155

Fiji budget announcement on Agriculture

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTS

Major initiatives to encourage our young people to become farmers. We will set up a scholarship program in conjunction with Fiji National University in which 50 Form Six or Seven graduates each year will attend a 12 month certificate course that trains them in various agricultural disciplines. When they graduate, each student will receive a loan package to the value of $70,000, to cover the costs of:

100 acres of farm land

• A tractor and basic farm implements
• Fertilizer and other materials
• A house and shed
• And start-up cash of $2,000

Each student will be supervised by an agricultural extension officer, and given specific performance targets. The Government hopes to attract many more young people to become farmers, give them sustainable livelihoods, boost the nation’s food security, and reduce Fiji’s dependence on imported food.

Collectively, $94 million is allocated to the Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forests and Lands & Mineral Resources in 2013.

Agriculture is a vital sector of our economy, and we especially need to do what we can to help our nation’s farmers maintain a productive and efficient agricultural sector.

Existing programs under the Department of Agriculture will continue next year with total funding of $5.6 million.  This money will cover the development of coconut, cocoa, potato, ginger, vanilla and rice crops.  We will further boost the rice revitalization program with technical and financial assistance from the Chinese Government.

To do their jobs, farmers need cheaper tools. In 2013, we are expanding the zero-duty rate for agricultural implements to make them more affordable. All other current agricultural incentives will continue.

An additional $2.7 million will also be allocated for livestock development.

$1 million will be allocated for the development of the dairy industry.

In the fisheries sector, we have provided $1.8 million for the development of various fisheries resources such as aqua-culture, mari-culture and the raising of brackish water species, as well as seaweed and pearl cultivation.

We are providing $600,000 to establish a multi-species hatchery in Ra.

In forestry, we will promote sustainable forest management practices by allocating $500,000 for the Biodiversity Enhancement and REDD Plus programs.

$5 million is also allocated for the Land Reform Program, to make more land available for productive use.

We will also continue the highly successful CBUL program that encourages landowners to re-lease land for productive use. Under this program, Government subsidises lease payments by 4 per cent. This increases lease payments from 6 to 10 per cent.