Poultry project flourishing in Mashare

MASHARE – The poultry farming project in the Kavango region’s Mashare constituency is booming and coping with the high demand for chickens from all corners of the country.

The chickens are produced at the Mashare Agriculture Development Institute (Madi), situated some 50km east of Rundu.Agriculture research technician at Madi, Victoria Shauluka, last week said the demand for chicken is increasing on a daily basis as local people continue to flock to the institute, whilst those far away order telephonically.The chicken project, which has proven viable since its inception in the late 1990s, currently has 203 layer hens that produce about 1 500 chicks per month.The chicks are sold at N$ 7 each.Due to the high demand for chickens, the institute has set up a limit of 50 chickens that can be sold to each individual, and only 100 chickens to each community poultry project.The institute now intends to expand the project, and is constructing 20 additional chicken houses that will bring the total chicken houses to 45.Government initiated the poultry-farming project to promote chicken production in the country, with the aim to subsequently improve people’s livelihoods.Despite the flourishing of the business, Shauluka said some of the challenges experienced at the project include costly feed and medication for chickens, as chickens should be vaccinated every week.The institute currently has three incubators, with a capacity of hatching 1 000 chicks each.These incubators were donated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). – Nampa