Poultry farming: a veritable tool for economic empowerment

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p>&nbsp;<strong>INTRODUCTION</strong></p><p>Commercial poultry production is practiced by most rural households<br>through out developing world, despite the fact that its contribution to<br>livelihoods appears to be of little nominal value when observed by<br>researchers and other outsiders. This project utilizes sustainable<br>livelihood frame work to review how commercial poultry contributes to<br>households and livelihoods.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; It would be recalled that the rate of unemployment in<br>Nigeria is very high as reflect by the National Directorate of<br>Employment (NDE) with the statistics that 700,000 jobs were available in<br>the country compared with 7,000,000 graduates being turned out by<br>Nigeria Universities. This is as a result of imbalance in labour supply,<br>rapid population growth rate and faulty educational system among<br>others.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This project &nbsp; write up will focus attention on commercial<br>poultry farming production. A prospective commercial poultry farmer<br>should consider the following factors for the establishment of poultry<br>farming:</p><p>These include broiler production, egg production, and marketing.</p><p><strong>Broiler:</strong>&nbsp;is a North American term used to describe<br>young male or female chicken less than 12 weeks old based on fast<br>growing breeds, reared and sold specifically for poultry meat. For<br>broiler production, the rapidity of turnover is very high and the<br>current projected profit per broiler is 300.</p><p><strong>Egg production:</strong>&nbsp;the expansion of the business of egg<br>production can partly be attributed to quick turn over. The current<br>estimated gross or net daily profit from the sale of eggs ranges from<br>#2,000 layers is #5000 depending of course on the use of birds of<br>superior genotype, provision of favourable environment and managerial<br>skill.</p><p><strong>LOCATION OF THE POULTRY FARMING</strong></p><p>Legal clearance must be obtained from appropriate authority before<br>establishing poultry enterprise to prevent the demolition of structures,<br>culminating in the termination of the enterprise. The enterprise must<br>not be a source of nuisance in the nature of fowl odor and noise to<br>neighbor . Ensure access to water, electricity and proper damage.</p><p><strong>Capital Outlay:</strong>&nbsp;This will depend on the size and<br>type of operation &nbsp; and the management system. For the take off,<br>personal savings of up to #250,000 can be utilized particularly for<br>small scale broiler production. Alternatively Agricultural Bank Loans on<br>liberal terns can be considered. Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme<br>(ACGSF) and the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) poultry farming<br>scheme can as well provide loans to prospective farmer.</p><p><strong>Manpower Required: </strong>For a small scale operation, one<br>poultry attendant should be able to manage a minimum of 2,000 birds<br>either on the deep litter system or in cage. Occasional operations such<br>as manual removal of drops and vaccination require additional labor<br>which could be provided by the members of the family.</p><p><strong>Feed Supply: </strong>In Nigeria, feed cost accounts for<br>about 70% of the cost of poultry production. This is due to the high<br>cost of some critical feed ingredients (e:g maize and soya beans )<br>which are needed in poultry ration. From the standpoint of a profitable<br>enterprise, the genetic potential of the birds is the beginning of<br>employment. This research is determined to critically examine poultry<br>farming as a veritable tool economic empowerment in Nigeria.</p><p><strong>1.1 &nbsp; &nbsp; STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Poultry farming as a veritable tool for economic<br>empowerment depends largely on the attractiveness of this agricultural<br>sector to the Nigerian youth (young graduates), government support in<br>terms of financial support (loan, overdraft) and market potentials for<br>poultry products. In view of this, the following highlighted problems<br>are intended to be solved by this research work.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;­Can poultry farming actually provide economic power to the Nigerian youth?</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Is poultry farming business feasible in the Nigerian economy?</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Will the Land Use Act of 1978 (LUA 1978) not be a stumbling<br>block to the attainment of poultry farming as a business concern?</p><p><strong>1.2 &nbsp; &nbsp; OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The objective of the research study work is to examine poultry as a veritable tool for economic empowerment.</p><p><strong>1.3 &nbsp; &nbsp; SCOPE OF THE STUDY</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;This research work focuses on poultry farming as an<br>economic tool tool for man`s empowerment. Majorly to be investigated is<br>egg production as a means of livelihood. Therefore, it is limited to a<br>local commercial poultry farm in Osun State as a case study.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This study intends to analyze the relevant process of egg production and the attracting factors to the Nigerian youth.</p><p><strong>1.4 &nbsp; &nbsp; RESEARCH METHODOLOGY</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The research will be conducted to examine poultry farming<br>as an economic tool in the hands of Nigerian youth. The source to be<br>used for this study is based on data collected through the two available<br>sources, which are primary and secondary data.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The primary source includes data collection through<br>personal observation, interview, questionnaire, and other primary means<br>of getting information.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The secondary source includes the use of journals,<br>newspapers, internet, annual reports of agricultural agencies and some<br>other relevant text books.</p><p>In the analysis of questionnaire, which were administered in order to<br>get information from the customers and the employees of the enterprise,<br>simple percentage will be used to present the various data and<br>Chi-Square will also be used test the relevant hypothesis.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Chi-Square is a non-parameters measure that does not depends on population but deals with frequency count.</p><p>Chi-Square is defined by the formulae</p><p>X2= (o-e)2</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; e</p><p>= At 5% level of significance = 0.05</p><p>= Degree of freedom is given by the formula =(r-1) (c-1)</p><p><strong>1.5 &nbsp; &nbsp; STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS</strong></p><p>Since the paramount aim of this study is to examine poultry farming<br>as an economic tool for economic empowerment. The following hypothesis<br>is thereby drawn for the purpose of this study.</p><p>H1: poultry farming as an economic tool enhances employment opportunity</p><p>H0: poultry farming as an economic tool does not enhance employment opportunity.</p><p><strong>1.6 &nbsp; &nbsp; RESEARCH QUESTION</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Research question are declarative statement meant to obtain<br>answer which will state what the researcher is looking for the purpose<br>of this research, the major questions are:</p><p>v Can poultry farming business feasible in the Nigeria economy?</p><p>v Can poultry farming actually provide economic power to the Nigeria youth?</p><p><strong>1.7 &nbsp; &nbsp; JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY</strong></p><p>The researcher therefore, belief that by studying poultry farming, it<br>will be of benefit to the economy and individuals alike. It will be<br>beneficial to the economy in the sense that it will help us determined<br>how self employable Nigeria youth can be by engaging in poultry farming.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; This study will equally evaluate opinion of Nigerian on how<br>they perceive poultry farming as a means of livelihood. In addition,<br>this study will serve as a reference point for future researchers who <br>wants to embark on a project alike.</p><p><strong>1.8 &nbsp; &nbsp; LIMITATION OF THE STUDY</strong></p><p>In the course of justifying this research work, information were<br>difficult to access because of the strict knowledge and technical<br>know-how of poultry farming which is not available to the researcher.<br>Other constraints include among others:</p><p>Transportation is one of the problem encountered during the period<br>going up and down to the industry to get the needed information.</p><p>Another problem is the associated problem in the process of data<br>collection in relation to scheduling of time. The scarcity of text books<br>as well as on-line materials .</p><p><strong>Time Constraints:</strong>&nbsp;This project research as a limited<br>time lag within which the research work is to be carried out, completed<br>and submitted for approval. As a result, more data pertaining to the<br>subject matter of this research could not be collected and gathered for<br>analysis.</p><p><strong>Financial Constraint:</strong>&nbsp;There is also the shortage of funds to carry out this research findings at the researcher’s disposal.</p><p><strong>Lack of Co-operation:</strong>&nbsp;Some of the respondents were<br>reluctant or refuse to obtain questionnaire from the researcher on the<br>pretext of time wasting and others who misplaced theirs even misplaced<br>them.</p><p><strong>1.9</strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<strong>DEFINITION OF TERMS</strong></p><p><strong>Broiler:</strong>&nbsp;Is a North American terms used to describe<br>young male or female chicken less than 12 weeks old based on fast<br>growing breeds, reared and sold specifically for poultry meat.</p><p>House chicken: there are the fowls kept in a poultry being provided with all the foods they need by the chicken raiser.</p><p><strong>Unemployment: </strong>&nbsp;It is an economic indicator that<br>refers to the number of people in an economy who are willing and able to<br>work, but are unable to get a job; a person in this situation is said<br>to be unemployed</p><p><strong>Feeding trough:</strong>&nbsp;This is a feeder of carved stone, wood, or metal construction used to hold food for animals (as in a stable)</p><p><strong>Economic empowerment:</strong>&nbsp;This is a term used to mean a<br>program that seek to directly (not through education or health) help<br>people raise their incomes and standard of living. Empowerment refers to<br>the spiritual, political, social, or economic strength of individuals<br>and communities.</p><p><strong>Brood: &nbsp;</strong>Collection of young animal who exist in the same space.</p> <br><p></p>