Social-economic impact of chicken production on resource-constrained communities in Dodoma, Tanzania

Chickens, in many households, are kept by women and the youths, providing employment and means of increasing family economic gains. However, little information on the social-economic contribution of chickens' production in Dodoma is available. This study examined the potential of chickens' production in Kongwa district and Dodoma municipality in Tanzania. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey (with Likert scaling) was conducted, and in-depth interviews were used to gather information from the local livestock keepers. A total of 200 were interviewed, and of these, 33.93% were male and 66.07% were female. The entire family was responsible for chicken management in 66.07% of the households, whereby, in 25% of the households, only women were involved, and in 7.01% of the households, only men were involved in rearing chickens. Chicken production contributed socially and economically through meat, manure, offerings, source of income, aesthetic value (beauty), provision of school fees, and source of employment. The contribution of chicken production socially and economically among these categories varied significantly (Kruskal-Wallis statistical test = 33.36, P < 0.001). The potential customers for the chicken and their products were nearby shops (60.71%), individuals (retails) (85.71%), animal market place (Mnadani) (62.5%), travelers (55.35%), and restaurants (61.71%). The average selling price for the chicken was 12,500 Tanzanian Shilling (Tsh), whereas, for cocks, it was 13000 Tsh, and hens were sold at 10,000 Tsh. Chicken keeping is a very important sector in resource-constrained families as it provides for family proteins and income which support family health care, education, and other social needs. However, the productivity is not encouraging, so more education and support on chicken keeping is essential to enhance a positive economic impact on the local communities.