International Journal of Poultry Science 6 (6): 413-416, 2007
ISSN 1682-8356
© Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2007
Rural Chicken Production: Effects of Gender on Ownership,
and Management Responsibilities in Some Parts of Nigeria and Cameroon
M.B. Abubakar2*, A.G. Ambali1 and T. Tamjdo1
1
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria
2
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria
Abstract: A study was carried out to investigate on the ownership pattern and involvement in rearing activities
of family members among the various household in West Province of Cameroon and some parts of Borno
state, Nigeria. This survey focused mainly on the effects of gender on ownership and management
responsibilities. With regards to gender and flock ownership pattern the study showed that women and
children owned the majority of flocks (53% and 27%) in West Province of Cameroon respectively, whereas,
men accounted for 20% ownership, however, the reverse was found to be the case in Borno state where men
possessed (56%) followed by women (39%) and children (11%). Although all gender categories were
involved in village chicken rearing activities, children had the highest responsibilities and these include
shutting down the chicken in at night and letting the chicken out in the morning in West Province of
Cameroon, while in Borno state is the women that has the highest responsibilities. Feeding, watering and
hygiene maintenance were found to be combined responsibilities of women and children in both areas. The
village chickens were housed mostly in the Kitchen (53%) in the West Province of Cameroon, whereas in
Borno state mud /thatch house is the commonly used (32%) form of shelter for birds. In terms of
supplementary feeds given to the village chickens maize and food scraps were mostly given in West Province
of Cameroon, while millet bran followed by maize and food scrap/millet were predominantly used in Borno
state Nigeria in that order. The study further showed that village chickens were not kept in specialized
housing, they were often provided with simple structure to protect them from weather elements. Women and
children are found to be the most convenient and the fastest means of channeling technology for improving
rural chicken production in the study area.
Key words: Rural chicken, gender, ownership and management responsibilities, Nigeria and Cameroon
Introduction protein intake of rural communities and in the long-term
Rural poultry is an important agricultural activity of curb the massive urban migration of youth (FAO, 1998).
almost all rural community in Africa (Kitalyi, 1998) However, production levels of rural poultry in many
including Nigeria and Cameroon (Ambali et al., 2003; African countries fall far below desirable levels, the
Ekue et al., 2002). Estimate on livestock in Africa shows production system is still very backward and suffers a
that poultry population is the highest (Sonaiya et al., serious set back such as poor management practice,
1998). It is said that about 80% of these poultry are malnutrition, disease and predation (Permin and
found in rural areas under free range system thus, Hansen, 1998).
providing scarce animal protein in the form of meat and Therefore the overall objective of this study is to identify
eggs as well as being a reliable source of petty cash the roles play by the different gender and/or other family
(Alders and Spradbrow, 2001) . Rural poultry also fulfill members in rural poultry production in West Province
a number of other functions for which is difficult to Cameroon and some part of Borno state Nigeria with the
assign any monetary value. These include the fact that sole aim of suggesting improvement strategies.
rural poultry play an active role in pest control and used
for traditional ceremony and festival (Alders and Materials and Methods
Spradbrow, 2000). Study areas: The study was carried out in West Province
The importance of rural poultry in the national economy of Cameroon and Borno state Nigeria. Cameroon is
of developing countries and its role in improving the broadly divided into four regions namely: North, South,
nutritional status and income of many small littoral and West. These regions constitute of 10
communities has been very significant (FAO, 1997; provinces that shares international borders with Chad to
Creevey, 1991). Strategic increases in the productivity of the North, Gabon to the South, Congo to the South-West
rural chicken flocks will therefore, greatly assist in and Nigeria to the West. The West region is made up of
poverty alleviation, improve household food-security and West and North provinces, located in savannah type of
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Abubakar et al.: Rural Chicken Production
Table 1: Effect of gender on ownership of village chicken in west province Cameroon
Location
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family North East% South East% South West% North West% Average % Per
Member ownership Ownership Ownership Ownership Ownership
Husband 14.28 25 26.92 15.38 20.39
Wife 61.90 45 46.15 51.69 52.68
Children 23.80 30 26.92 26.92 26.91
Table 2: Effect of gender on ownership of village chicken in some LGA survey. The data were subjected to statistical analysis
in Borno State Nigeria
using analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 5% level of
Location
--------------------------------------------------------- Average
statistical significance at 95% confidence interval.
Family Maiduguri% Konduga% Mafa% % of
Member Ownership Ownership Ownership Ownership Results
Husband 50.0 66.66 50 55.55 The result of this survey revealed that, although chickens
Wife 33.3 33.33 50 38.87
Children 16.66 16.66 0 11.10
belong to the family at large, specific ownership pattern
were observed in this survey. Women owned the
vegetation. It shares border with Taraba state Nigeria. majority of birds (52.68%) followed by children (26.91%)
Borno state is located in the extreme North-Eastern and lastly men (20.39%) in the Province of Cameroon
Nigeria and shares international with Cameroon to the (Table 1). Unlike the situation in Borno state, Nigeria
East, Chad to the North-East, and Niger republic to the majority of the birds are owned by men (55.55%)
North. It also shares national boundaries with followed by women (38.87%) and lastly children
Adamawa, Gombe and Yobe states. The inhabitants are (11.10%) (Table 2).
mainly farmers and traders. It is located in Flocks management labour profile included activities
sudano-sahelian vegetation zone (Ehumere, 1987). such as shelter (Shelter shut down and let out),
cleaning, feeding watering indicated that women and
Sampling method / questionnaires survey: A stratified children involvement was by far the highest and the trend
sampling technique was employed in administrating was the same for the two areas (Table 3 and 4) .
standard questionnaires as prepared by Alders and According to the respondent over 50% of the rural
Spradbrow (2001) was used to identify the roles play by chickens in West Province are housed in the kitchen as
the different gender and/or other family members in rural there shelter at night (Table 5). Whereas mud/thatch
poultry production in West Cameroon and some part of was the most commonly used type of housing by rural
Borno state Nigeria. The West Province was divided into poultry farmers in Borno state, Nigeria (Table 6).
four quadrants namely: North-East, South-West, Village chicken live in a free range system where they
South-East and North-West, three villages were selected scavenge around the homestead and surrounding, in
at random from each of the four quadrants and five spite of that farmer made effort to give supplementary
household from each village given a total of 60 feed stuff, the result of this survey further revealed that
households or experimental units. maize and food scraps constitute the bulk of supplement
In Borno state, Nigeria, three local government areas given to rural chickens in the West Province of
were selected randomly and 6 households were chosen Cameroon (Table 7) . Whereas in Borno state Nigeria,
in each of the local government headquaters making a millet bran is the supplement mostly used as
total of 18 households. supplement feed to rural chickens (Table 8), the
Questionnaires were administered in 3 LGA namely: commodity is followed by maize and food scarps/ millet
Maiduguri, Konduga and Mafa, and 12 villages in West respectively. Generally the food stuff is not easily to
Province of Cameroon (Table 2). The selection of the come by within the house hold especially during the wet
farmers for administration of questionnaires was based season, so required a lot of exercise for the chicken
on advice of the village extension service officer, taking during scavenging. The type of supplement feed mostly
into consideration the previous cooperation of the given to bird may have a direct relationship with the type
farmers to such exercise. The questionnaires evaluate of food commonly consumed by the people in that area.
the type of livestock kept, ownership pattern of village
chicken, task associated with rural chicken keeping, Discussion
involvement of each component of the family in rearing The result of this survey has shown that farmers raised
of rural chicken, housing, feeding, watering of rural rural poultry based on extensive system of management
chicken and purpose of rearing. with relatively few numbers of different poultry species in
West Province of Cameroon and Borno State Nigeria.
Data analysis: Appropriate statistical method was used According to respondent this relative few number of each
in analyzing the data generated from the questionnaires specie increase their chance of success based on
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Abubakar et al.: Rural Chicken Production
Table 3: Involvement of the family in village chicken management in Some part of Borno state Nigeria
Duties Husband Wife Children Wife/ Wife/Daughter/ No. involve No.
Husband Husband of Household
*Shutdown - 3 1 - 5 9/18
+Let out - 3 1 - 5 9/18
Cleaning the chicken house - 4 2 - - 6/18
Feeding/Watering 3 6 - 1 - 10/18
*Shut down the chicken in the night +Let the chicken out in the morning
Table 4: Involvement of the family in village chicken management in west Province of Cameroon
Duties Wife Husband Children Husband / Children/ Husband/ None No.
Wife Wife wife/ of the involve
Children family No. of house
*Shutdown 2 11 30 1 13 2 5 58/60
+Let out 2 26 14 - 10 - 6 58/60
Cleaning the chicken house 1 17 5 - 25 1 7 58/60
Feeding/Watering 2 13 8 - 24 1 3 58/60
*Shut down the chicken in the night+Let the chicken out in the morning
Table 5: Type of housing for rural chickens in West Province Cameroon
Type of housing
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Location Tree Kitchen Ground Wood Brick Bamboo Store No. House Old Zinc
North-east 1 6 1 2 4 - - 1 -
South-west - 9 - 1 3 1 1 - -
South-east - 9 1 2 - 1 1 - 1
North-west 2 8 - 1 3 - 1 - -
Total 3 32 2 6 10 2 3 3 1
% of House
type 5 53.33 3.33 10.45 16.66 3.33 5 1.66 1.66
diversification. However, village chicken still constitutes and children account for (5.55%) of the flock. Probably
the highest proportion ,this agree with previous work on this could be attributed to the predetermined role played
village chicken production system in the area (Ambali et by men in terms of decision-making on issue related to
al., 2003; Ekue et al., 2002) and in other African poultry management (Ekue et al., 2002) and other family
countries such as Niger (Abdou and Bell, 1992), related issues, where the decision of the husband as
Ghana (Van Velum, 1987), Mali (Kuit et al.,1986), and the overall head of the family always surpass.
Togo (Aklobess, 1990) . The rural chicken production Division of labour among the different household
systems in the area, were observed to be based on the members was another which the survey showed that all
indigenous domestic fowl (Gallus domestic), which is gender categories were involved with management with
the predominant species in Africa (FAO, 1998). These children having the highest responsibility of shutting
chickens scavenge for most of their nutritional needs down the chicken in at night and let the chicken out in the
with occasional feed supplement from home grown morning. Feeding and hygiene maintenance was found
cereals and household refuse. They may or may not to be the combined responsibility of women and
have shelter and have little or no regular health control children, similar trend was observed in both study areas.
programme consequently production is low and In spite of the fact that village scavenge around
chances of survival rate is equally slim, this agree with homestead and surroundings. Farmers give
(Ekue et al., 2002; Ajuyah, 1999 ). supplementary feed stuff, maize and food scraps
The survey results showed that in West province of constitute the major supplement given in West Province
Cameroon chicken generally belong to the entire family of Cameroon while millet bran is the most commonly
as a whole, but with specific ownership patterns, women used supplement followed by maize and food
owned birds in the majority of cases (52.7%), followed scraps/millet in Borno state, Nigeria.
by children (26.9%) and men (20.3%). This result was Predator, cold and starvation among others has been
not different from observation made in Bemenda area, found to be the cause of chicken loss, other cause
Cameroon (Ekue et al., 2002) and some other African include disease incidence. These could be prevented by
countries such as Dodoma region, Tanzania (FAO, proper management in terms of housing, health care
1998). However, the situation was contrary in some part and improvement in feeding systems. In conclusion,
of Borno State, Nigeria where chicken predominantly scavenging birds survived in harsh environment with
owned by men (55.55%), followed by women (38.89%) little or no proper care in place. Their potential for high
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Abubakar et al.: Rural Chicken Production
Table 6: Type of housing for rural chickens in Borno State Nigeria
Type of housing
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Location Tree Bedroom Mud/thatch Mud/pot Top of roof Zinc Kitchen
Maiduguri 3 - - - 2 1
Konduga - - 1 1 1 - -
Mafa 2 2 1 1 - - -
Total 5 2 6 2 1 2 1
% of house type 26.66 10.52 31.57 10.52 5.26 10.52 5.26
Table 7: Types of supplementary feed given to rural chickens by poultry Farmers in Borno State
Location Maize Food scraps Maize/Food scraps Maize/grower mash Poultry mash No supplement
North-west - 1 12 - - 2
South-west 2 2 5 4 1 1
South-east 1 - 11 3 - -
North-east - 2 13 - - -
Table 8: Types of supplementary feed given to rural chickens by Ambali, A.G., M.B. Abubakar and T.E. James, 2003. An
poultry Farmers in Borno State assessment of poultry health problems in
Location Millet Maize Food None
Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria. Trop. Vet. 21:
Bran Bran crap/millet
Maiduguri 2 - 2 2
138-145. production, Thessaloniki, Greece, pp: 129-
Konduga 4 1 1 - 137.
Mafa 5 1 - - Creevey, L.E., 1991. Supporting small scale enterprises
for women farmers in the sahel, J. Int. Dev., 3: 355-
performance could be realize through introduction of 386.
new management strategies. Women are the most Ehumere, E.O., 1987. Motivation in learning geography
suitable target group through which improvement in senior secondary school in Bama local
strategies can be channeled. Community based non- Government. Unpublished post-graduate diploma
governmental women organization already in existence thesis. University of Port-harcourt.
could be an effective way of implementing village poultry Ekue, F.N., K.D. Pone, M.J. Mafeni, A.N. Nfi and J. Njoya,
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Acknowledgement Characteristics and parameters of family poultry
The authors would like to thank the owners of family production in Africa FAO/IAEA, Vienna., pp: 15-25.
poultry and veterinary staff in West Province of
Food and Agriculture Organization, 1997. Guidelines for
Cameroon and Maiduguri, Konduga and Mafa Local
the inclusion of improved household poultry
Government Areas of Borno State for their cooperation.
production. Diversification component of the special
programme for food security, FAO, Rome, pp: 86.
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