Classification and Productivity of Smallholder Broiler Farms in the Pwani Region, Tanzania

Abstract

Understanding the current performance of the broiler sub-sector in terms of production and finance is crucial for developing and implementing effective plans to enhance and improve it. Hence, the objective of this study is to classify the surveyed farmers in the coastal region of Tanzania based on their rearing characteristics. It also aims to evaluate their productivity by establishing an operating account for one broiler per group of identified farmers. Additionally, the study seeks to identify the factors that may influence the productivity of broiler farms. To this end, 78 broiler farmers were selected using a non-probability snowball sampling method. Information was collected on farmers, flocks, production costs and farm incomes. From this data, eight variables were selected and subjected to a principal component analysis (PCA), enabling three groups of farmers to be distinguished. The productivity of each group was assessed based on the economic information collected from the farmers. Overall, the results showed that the number of birds per flock was less than 1000 on farms ranging in size from 81.2 to 206.3m2. Farmers used more family labour (89.7%) to raise broilers. The grouping of respondents showed that 59% of them (group 1) were beginners of about 47 years of age with an average of 5 years of poultry farming experience, who made more profit from their production than the rest of the older and more experienced farmers (groups 2 and 3). This study therefore showed that the productivity of broiler farms in the coastal region of Tanzania was low to average, and the reasons for this included the high cost of poultry inputs, the inefficiency of poultry farming management, and the selling price of broilers.