The study was carried out by the Department of Dakoro in Niger, where the main characteristics of small-scale family poultry farms were described. One hundred and forty seven farms were surveyed between November 2007 and February 2008 and 15 others were further added. In 78% of the farms, men were in charge of the poultry flocks. The main species raised were chickens (78%) and guinea fowls (18%). A representative flock had 43 hens and ten guinea fowls and would include a rooster, six hens and 35 young (two females and 22 guinea fowl keets). Millet grains and/or bran were used as feed materials by 99% of farmers for their poultry. Chicks and guinea fowl keets received starter feeds based on local products in 78% and 76% of farms, respectively. In 138 farms, drinking water from wells and boreholes was distributed. Sexual maturity was reached at approximately 24 to 25 weeks of age for roosters and hens and 32 weeks for guinea fowls. Hens laid an average of 55 eggs (97 for guinea fowl) in 4.4 clutches of 12 each. Hatchability fluctuated between 81% and 93% and reported mortality rate was as high as 33%. Rudimentary poultry houses based on stem grass were reported in 117 farms. One hundred and forty five farms had clay bell-shaped drinkers and recycled utensils were used as feeders in 120 farms. Poultry veterinary products were used in 25% of the farms surveyed, along with human medicines (21%) and traditional pharmacopoeias (16%). The major causes of mortality were undiagnosed diseases (72%), poor housing (13%), predation (8%) and lack of feed (6%). Own consumption (46%) was the main destination for poultry products followed by sales (43%) and donations (11%). Increasing awareness among farmers to aid in better management of their flocks and the promotion of the production and consumption of poultry products, characterization and better utilisation of available feed resources and more adequate housing were proposed to improve family-based poultry farming.

Smallholder family poultry is affected by many technical factors including low bio-security, restriction to live bird markets, inadequate sources of inputs and services especially sources of technical information as well as by lack of genetically improved breeds. The free-range or scavenging system results in high chick mortality and intestinal worm infestation. The productivity and profitability of this sector, it is argued, is affected more by lack of knowledge among producers, marketers, extension service, researchers and government policy makers and a non-supportive educational system which looks down upon smallholdings and provides a negative incentive to their development.

Family poultry (FP), which make up around 80% of poultry stocks in many developing countries of Africa and Asia, are still important. However, FP farmers are facing many constraints, including high mortality, mainly due to Newcastle disease and currently also to the highly pathogenic avian influenza in many countries since its occurrence in Asia in late 2003. Significant improvements in FP production systems can be achieved through well-designed and implemented information dissemination programmes that endow FP farmers with necessary knowledge and skills. The setting-up of poultry networks that enable FP farmers to acquire and share knowledge, views, experiences as well as research and development results in FP keeping in developing countries is discussed. Ways to improve the efficiency of information dissemination through poultry networks by taking into account the socio-cultural and economic environments of targeted FP farmers are also explored.

Throughout the African continent the keeping of poultry by local communities has been practised for many generations. These birds currently make up more than 80% of the continent's poultry flock. Family poultry (FP) is a valuable asset to local human populations as it contributes significantly to their livelihoods and overall well-being, especially in disadvantaged groups and less-favoured areas of Africa. In many households, poultry are managed by women, children and vulnerable people (e.g. old and disable persons). The recent outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Africa are of major concern. The paper stresses the multiple roles of poultry at household, community and national levels. The impact of HPAI on FP production is also explored.

Most rural households have poultry cared for by women, children and vulnerable people – the aged and physically challenged. Family poultry generate 19–50% of rural family income, make up about 77% of the national flock and contribute about 98% of poultry products consumed in the villages of developing countries. Households that accept innovation for semi-scavenging poultry production usually increase weekly consumption of eggs and meat. The importance of family poultry in assisting the landless poor and the destitute is reflected in many national poverty reduction strategy programmes which identify family poultry as one of the keys to accomplishing the millennium development goal of reducing the number of poor by half before 2015. There are few other alternatives in the livestock sector that can be used to reach so many poor people in rural areas. Wherever HPAI occurs in family poultry, it will wipe out the contribution of family poultry to family food security and to family income. While compensation and restocking are important, the greatest need of smallholder poultry producers faced with the challenge of HPAI is for information, knowledge and training for HPAI-safe family poultry production.

Despite efforts to develop intensive poultry production, family poultry (FP) are still very important in developing countries. In most developing countries, the keeping of poultry by local communities has been practised formany generations. FP keeping is a widely practised activity. More than 90% of rural families in most developing countries keep one ormore poultry species (i.e. chickens, ducks, guinea fowls, geese, pigeons, etc.), and all ethnic groups tend to be involved in FP production. Although generally requiring low levels of inputs, FP is an appropriate system for supplying the fast-growing human population with high-quality protein, while providing additional income to the generally resource-poor small farmers, especially women. FP is also a source of employment for underprivileged groups and less-favoured areas in developing countries. However, constraints facing FP production systems are related to high mortality (mainly due to Newcastle disease), housing, feeding, breeding, marketing, credit, education/training, extension and information dissemination. Organizers of FP development programmes must be sufficiently sensitive to socio-cultural and economic circumstances of potential beneficiaries. Developing schemes that aim to promote and improve the FP sub-sectorin a way that is sustainable must not underestimate the specific roles and contributions of relevant members of local communities, as well as their different gender groups i.e. women, men, boys, girls, young and old persons. Therefore, getting new information and other various interventions to the front line of production requires well-designed gender research. This work, which must be done by multi- and trans-disciplinary teams to ensure that the production environment in which FP-keeping farmers work is fully understood, helps to identify the target groups of FP producers for development programmes such as in training, extension, information dissemination, provision of inputs and credit, marketing of poultry and their products. Ways to improve the productivity of FP management systems by taking into account socio-cultural, especially gender, aspects in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation stages of FP development programmes at community level are also explored.

Despite efforts to develop intensive poultry production, family poultry (FP) is still very important in low-income, food-deficit countries (LIFDCs). In LIFDCs, the keeping of poultry by local communities has been practiced for many generations. FP is an appropriate system for supplying the fast-growing human population with high-quality protein. It can also provide additional income to the generally resource-poor small farmers, especially women. Although requiring low levels of inputs, FP contributes significantly to food security, poverty alleviation and ecologically sound management of natural resources. FP is also a source of employment for underprivileged groups and less-favored areas in LIFDCs. Developing schemes that aim to promote and improve the FP sub-sector in a way that is sustainable must not underestimate the roles and contributions of women. However, getting new information to the front line of production requires more gender-disaggregated data. This paper stresses the need to design, implement, monitor and evaluate FP development programs by taking into account socio-cultural, especially gender, issues.

Family poultry production (FP), which is still important in low-income food-deficit countries, is an appropriate system to supply the fast-growing human population with high quality protein. It can also provide additional incorne to the generally resource-poor small farmers, especially women. Although requiring low levels of inputs, FP contributes significantly to food security, poverty alleviation and ecologically sound management of natural resources. FP is also a source of employment for underprivileged groups in many local communities. However, constraints facing FP production systems include poor management conditions and poorly developed marketing structures for the products. The skills of small farmers in all aspects of poultry management must be improved through training and education. Poultry farmers should also be provided with credits or loans, taking into account the economic circumstances and socio-cultural context in which the beneficiaries live. In addition, the marketing system must be improved, for the benefit of both FP keepers and consumers.