Rural Farmers to get Hybrid Indian chicken to boost house hold incomes

Rural Farmers to get Hybrid Indian chicken to boost house hold incomes

By Prossy Nandudu

Farmers in rural areas are to benefit from the newly launched Kuroiler project to improve house hold income and the quality of their life.

 The project is being implemented by the National Animal Genetic Resource Center and Data bank (NAGRC&DB) in collaboration with Arizona State University with financial support from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.

 Under the project, farmers will be able to get kuroiler birds through their district production officers from the NAGRC&DB) at a minimal fee.

 The Kuroiler is a new breed of chicken from India that was launched in Uganda after assessing its performance and discovering its potential through trials in 2011, according to the executive director NAGRC&DB Dr.Daniel Semambo.

  “We estimate that each family with Kuroiler chickens will produce twice the amount of meat and four times the number of eggs compared to local indigenous chickens,” said Dr.Semambo.

Semambo added that they plan to carry out the hatchery from their farm in Uganda for farmers to get them easily unlike now where they have to book which takes some time to the disappointment of many farmers.

The move will save farmers unscrupulous business men extort money from farmers claiming that they sale Kuroiler birds. He insisted that farmers should only buy Kuroiler birds from NAGRC with the help of district production officers.

 At the same function minister of state for agriculture in charge of animal husbandry, Bright Rwamirama said the project will go a long way in eradicating poverty and ensuring food security at household level.

“Because families with these birds will be producing more meat and eggs, they will be able to generate over three times the income typical for indigenous flocks,” explained Rwamirama.

 Rwamirama said that the project will a help in fulfilling some of the issues being addressed in the development and strategic plan of the ministry agriculture animal industry and fisheries.

“The kuroiler which is a hybrid chicken is adaptable to our rural setting and well suited to resource poor village environements,and performs very well under scavenging management system,” said Rwamirama.

 He added that hybrid chicken has been generically selected to provide both meat and eggs and are able to survive and thrive on agricultural and house hold waste, requiring no additional feed.

The minister also asked local leaders, NGOs and Community based organizations to ensure that the project reaches and serves the local targeted rural house holds.

Kuroiler chicken are currently being imported from Keggfarms in India that are providing day old chicks, fertilized eggs and parent stock in addition to providing guidance in breeding and improvement of the Kuroiler birds.

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