Backyard poultry farming with Vanaraja and Srinidhi brings food and nutritional security to tribal’s of Nagaland

Nagaland is one of the North Eastern states of India in which there are 16 recognized tribes are present besides numerous minor tribes which are mostly non vegetarian. Also, the per capita consumption of animal protein is highest in Nagaland state. However, there are major constainsts like non-availability of good poultry germplasm and higher feed cost deters the tribal farmers for going for poultry farming. The state is almost 40% deficient in animal meat and products. Vanaraja and Srinidhi poultry is dual purpose poultry birds developed by ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Hyderabad for backyard poultry farming in rural and tribal areas for meat and egg purpose, respectively. Due to the similarity in phenotypical appearance of these birds with desi birds, it is well taken by the tribal farmers of the Nagaland. Moreover, these birds have higher growth rate, less mortality, brown colour egg and higher egg production.

To fulfill the deficiency and injecting the improved germplasm of poultry ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre initiated the production of quality germplasm of Vanaraja and Srinidhi under Poultry Seed Project in collaboration with ICAR-DPR, Hyderabad. In the year 2016-17, ICAR Nagaland centre supplied 82647 day old and grown up chicks to the 1354 farmer’s of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh in collaboration with various line departments. The Centre imparted various on farm and off the farm trainings to sensitize the farmers about the scientific backyard poultry farming.

In the year 2016-17, with the help of Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) component of the project as well as TSP institute fund, ICAR Nagaland Centre adopted 17 villages throughout the Nagaland after conducting the participatory rural appraisal for their development as poultry model village. A total of 25,319 chicks were supplied to 17 villages comprising of 738 tribal beneficiaries. The farmers were trained on poultry housing, feeding and health management before distribution of chicks so that the birds can be reared to attain their full genetic potential. The farmers were encouraged to vaccinate their flock and linked to veterinary pharmacies supplying poultry vaccines. The birds were reared in intensive condition for initial four weeks after which they were reared either on backyard or semi-intensive system. The birds were fed with a mixture of compound concentrate feed and locally available feed materials like tapioca, broken rice, maize and kitchen waste. Depending on vicinity to Assam the price of feed varied from district to district; compound feed ranged from Rs. 30 to 35/kg and price of maize from Rs. 12 to 23/kg. The total amount of money spent for purchasing feed and medicine was Rs. 4255545/- aprroximately. Most of the farmers sold their birds after attaining 2.5 kg to 3.0 kg at three to four months of age. The total live weight of the birds was around 59620 kgs. Several farmers decided to retain some of their female birds for egg laying purpose also. The farmers of remote areas like Kiphri, Tuensang, Phek and Zunheboto district preferred to keep the Srinidhi birds mainly for the egg purpose as eggs are available in these areas at high prices. The price of poultry meat in Phek and Kiphire districts was Rs. 250/kg whereas Rs. 200/kg in the remaining districts. Therefore the gross income generated after sale of birds was Rs. 1,25,79250/- after deduction of expenses incurred on feed, vaccine and medicines the net income earned was Rs. 7131525/- with a B:C ratio of 2.93. The success of these villages has motivated more farmers and educated unemployed youth in Nagaland to undergo training on poultry farming at ICAR, Nagaland Centre and take up poultry farming on commercial basis.

(Source: ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema)