Abstract:
Poultry industry is an important sector with substantial contribution to the
community, nation economy and social welfare. Newcastle disease (ND) is the main
constraint for village chicken production in Tanzania, and chicken vaccination is the
only effective way to control ND. This study was carried out to evaluate ND
vaccination project. The objective of the study was to assess the socio-economic
impact of ND vaccination project to communities that keep Free Range Local
Chicken (FRLC) at three villages in Mtwara Region. Specifically, the study assessed
socio-economies contribution of FRLC to household, examined effects of the project
interventions on the level of knowledge, attitude and practices that poultry keepers
pose for enhancing the productivity of FRLC, examined gender issues in
implementation of ND vaccination project and its sustainability. Focus group
discussions (FGD) and a structured questionnaire were used to collect data. A total of
210 households which were in the project were randomly sampled the heads were
subjected to the questionnaire. The study used descriptive statistical and inferential
methods to analyze data. This was accomplished by Statistical Package for Social
Science’s (SPSS version 13.0). Result from the study revealed a statistical lower
(P<0.05) significant association between number of FRLC kept before the project
and after the project. In addition, the study revealed statistical significance of project
interventions (P<0.05) on management of FRLC which means there was increase in
number of FRLC. All respondents reported FRLC to be an income supplementing
activity to the household. Also the study revealed FRLC rearing was mainly a female
domain (61%), though men were the decision makers on the income earned. In the
study area decision on the household properties held strongly with genderiii
relationship in the household. The study recommends that the farmer’s socio-
economic status, incentives like credit facilitation, market access and group
formation should be considered in implementation of interventions for improving
FRLC.
