Rural poultry keeping in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh indigenous poultry have been kept by rural communities for many generations. This custom is likely to continue and remain popular in rural areas. The rural poultry system relies on minimal input of resources. Although secondary to other agricultural activities, rural poultry rearing plays an important role in providing the rural population with a substantial income and high quality protein. Almost every rural family keeps small flocks of indigenous domestic fowl and ducks under a backyard management system. Although indigenous poultry are poor producers of eggs and meat, they are hardy and thrive well in the harsh rural environment and some varieties have a superior genetic constitution which has not been fully explored. Poultry sheds in rural areas are made of local materials, birds are fed with household wastes, and most of their time is spent in scavenging. There is no systematic breeding programme and close inbreeding occurs among indigenous stocks. Shortage of feed and a high incidence of diseases are the main constraints to rural poultry development. In spite of such constraints, poultry production in the country will continue to grow in response to an increasing demand for eggs and poultry meat. In this regard the wider availability of reliable advice would be of enormous benefit.