Poultry power: How chicken, eggs hatch hope for farmers

 

 

Which came first: the nutritious protein, healthier communities and stronger local economies — or the egg?

Women like Sabitri Naik might say the latter. 

Sabitri Naik 

Sabitri, who raises chickens in India, used to face significant challenges sustaining her backyard poultry business. An inadequate chicken coop, for one, left her backyard flock vulnerable to disease and predators. 

Joining Hatching Hope was a turning point. This global initiative — co-created by Cargill and Heifer International and implemented in partnership with TechnoServe — aims to improve lives and nutrition through the power of poultry. 

Why poultry? It plays a pivotal role in meeting the world’s growing nutrition needs. Poultry meat represents more than 40% of global meat production. And egg production has increased 150% in recent decades, according to the United Nations. 

Hatching Hope was created in 2018 with an ambitious goal: to improve nutrition and economic livelihoods by reaching 100 million people by 2030. It does this by connecting farmers, markets and consumers to increase the production, promotion and consumption of poultry.

Through Hatching Hope, Sabitri took Heifer’s training to prevent disease and help manage animals. She learned how to build predator-proof nesting boxes, follow vaccination and deworming protocols and maintain clean coops with safe feeders and waterers.

The results were remarkable: Her flock now provides her a steady income — and security for her family’s future. That security is critical: Of the world’s around 500 million smallholder farm households, about 40% live on less than $2 per day.  

“The training taught me how to take care of poultry, and now I make money by selling birds,” Sabitri shares proudly.

Such outcomes are why the Business Intelligence Group (BIG) awarded Hatching Hope its prestigious 2024 Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award. 

 

Why chickens lay so much potential

Hatching Hope improves the livelihoods of people worldwide — lifting up women, families, communities and economies. 

Hatching Hope focuses on strengthening poultry market systems for several reasons. 

Chicken provides a faster return with a lower environmental impact compared to other animal proteins. Farmers can see results quickly. This allows them to reinvest in their businesses and futures. Beyond that: 

• Raising chickens for meat or eggs can be relatively easy to start. 
• Raising chickens for eggs produces nutritious food every day.
• Chicken and eggs are good sources of low-cost, high-quality protein.  
• Chickens are easy to feed, breed and bring to market.
• Young chicks grow quickly into chickens.
• Chicken farming provides women an opportunity to contribute to and influence household income.

Hatching Hope's market-based approach  offers opportunities for many. This includes farmers who grow chicken feed crops, producer groups, millers, processors, retailers and institutional buyers. 

Participants also grow their business and financial skills. Their communities benefit too, as raising meat and eggs can improve local nutrition.

Together, these factors help create a robust, sustainable poultry sector. 

“Collaborating with small poultry producers in our region strengthens food security, improves family income and promotes sustainable economic development,” says Tania Rojas, an animal nutrition leader for Cargill in Central America. “In Honduras and Guatemala,  hundreds of women and families have improved their productivity and connected with formal markets. 

“Our commitment to positively impact our communities and to promote responsible agricultural practices is reinforced by our employees and distributors, who actively support these programs.”   

 

Raising chickens, meeting family needs

Febronie's income from raising chickens is now helping her family buy daily essentials. (Photo courtesy of One Acre Fund.)

Febronie Mukashyaka and her husband knew his salary was not enough for their family of five. Febronie, who lives in Rwanda’s Bugesera district, wanted to help her family earn more money. 

After learning about Hatching Hope, Febronie signed up as a broiler entrepreneur, which means she raises chicken for meat. Smallholder farmers like Febronie often lack access to high-quality, affordable chicken breeds since poultry suppliers tend to be based in cities. That’s where partner organization One Acre Fund comes in. This social enterprise provides access so African farmers can grow their productivity, income and resilience. 

To start, Febronie received 400, day-old chicks, starter feed for poultry, vaccines and training on poultry production. 

Six weeks later, Febronie received her first income of 60,000 Rwandan Francs (about $45). In the second phase, she made a profit of 80,000 Rwandan Francs. Progress like this helps reduce inequities between men and women farmers in Africa. According to One Acre Fund, women produce nearly 80% of sub-Saharan Africa’s food, yet they often have less access to resources than men. Closing this gap could lower food insecurity and hunger.

Febronie’s new income from this meaningful number of chickens is helping her meet expenses like food and school fees. 

“That day, I bought one 50-kg bag of rice and one 25-kg bag of maize flour,” Febronie says. “My husband was happy because he was not going to buy food at the end of the month.” 

 

Hatching around the globe

Hatching Hope aims to reach 100 million people around the world by 2030. 

Since 2018, Hatching Hope has reached 26.9 million people across 18 countries. With its goal to reach 100 million people by 2030, the initiative is now focused on growth.

“We are looking for more partners — customers, NGOs and others — who have a likeminded approach to investing in smart, resourceful farmers,” says Isabel Dimitrov, who leads Hatching Hope for Cargill. “Through Hatching Hope’s market-based approach to improving local food security and improving farmer livelihoods, we want to work together to reach more communities.”

 

Hatching Hope partners with programs such as Feathers of Fortune and One Acre Fund to help farmers around the world. 

New projects, growing partnerships

Hatching Hope has expanded in India and launched new programs in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Southern Africa.

One growing partnership includes Feathers of Fortune, a program with Syngenta Foundation India (SFI). SFI helps and trains rural youth to become agri-entrepreneurs. These young people provide services that improve farmers' access to credit, markets and quality inputs. In Madhya Pradesh, India, for example, Feathers of Fortune is working enhance the productivity, profitability and sustainability of poultry farming.

Another example is One Acre Fund, the program supporting farmers like Febronie. Using its network of field agents and stores, One Acre Fund provides tailored solutions in each market. Their goal is to reach 20,000 farmer households. 

In Kenya and Rwanda, this includes supporting 500 chicken-rearing entrepreneurs like Febronie in gaining access to high-quality chicks and raising them to sale age. In Burundi, they are helping farmers get access to improved breeds on credit and delivering hands-on training on chicken care. 

Farmers improving their family’s nutrition and diversifying their income. Communities increasing their resilience. Feed millers and para-vets growing their local businesses. Consumers having more protein options at mealtimes.

It’s all possible through the power of poultry.

 

 

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