Intensive poultry-production with improved ‘grade’ birds can be very successful and can make a lot of money. But the risks are very high indeed and the cost of failure may be huge. In many parts of the world, ordinary village poultry production involves chickens scavenging for their food. They usually have no special house, but sleep perhaps in a shed or cookhouse. Few eggs are laid, many young birds die, or are killed; growth is slow. But this system involves little financial risk to the farmer. The local chickens are well adapted to local conditions and more resistant to disease. Too often, people believe that there is little point in improving village poultry. But village poultry production can be greatly improved without much risk of failure.

My advice to anyone considering intensive poultry production under village conditions would be to improve village poultry production first. The results may surprise you! The centre pages contain some suggestions; please write and add your own.