Swiss govt boosts poultry farmers in the central corridor

The Swiss government has been supporting poultry keepers in along the central corridor boosting ventures through the Market Systems Work approach in three regions.

The areas flank the entire stretch of the railway line between Dar and Kigoma with some districts in Dodoma, Tabora and Manyara regions involved.

Women entrepreneurs are bound to enjoy increasing income as their market scope expands in a project which targets to reach over 500,000 households.

The Swiss supported and Dodoma based Rural Livelihood Development Programme (RLDP) is the organization that has stepped up to meet the challenge, donating in cash and kind to some 40 local chicken producers in Kongwa, Igunga , Nzega and Babati districts.

A statement issued by RLDP recently reported that the organisation has announced to use past experience in similar projects to support the free range chicken model in the districts targeting particularly the otherwise overlooked female entrepreneurs.

RLDP has been conducting its initial test phase in Mbiti and Bupandagila villages in Bariadi District and later, during the first roll up phase in Chamwino and Manyoni districts, both trials proved to be successful.

RLDP through Rural Livelihood Development Company (RLDC) is presently facilitating three agricultural sectors, sunflower, cotton and rice.

RLDC works in collaboration with the private sector, the government, local producers and non-government organizations for maximum utilisation of available resources with the aim of reducing poverty in the country.

After groups of poultry producer were formed and trained, chicken were housed, fed and vaccinated. Eventually, mortality rate was reduced and chicken flocks increased considerably, making it safe to say, the model has succeeded in substantially increasing income of rural poultry producers.

RLDP programme manager Francis Massawe was quoted earlier this year saying that since its inception in 2008, the approach has reached over 100,000 household beneficiaries through work in agricultural and communication projects implemented in three phases.
It is expected that by 2016 more than 500,000 households will be reached