Utete, TZ- Family earns profit from chicken banda and is looking forward to growth – 15 May 2018

The OMM family is using the concept of Continuous Quality Improvement to gradually increase the productivity of their small chicken business. Now the project is generating predictable income for the family.

In April, the family sold 40 of their 70 chickens, which earned a net income of 405,000 TZS ($177.54 USD). Hens sold for 9,000 TZS ($3.95 USD) each and roosters sold for 14,000 TZS ($6.14 USD) each. The father of the OM family reinvested the income. He spent 280,000 TZS ($122.75 USD) to buy 40 new chickens and 25,000 TZS ($10.96 USD) for chicken feed and medications. He was able to use the left over profit of 100,000 TZS ($43.84 USD) to improve his small shop.

In January, Mr. OMM noticed that wind and rain were entering through open air spaces at the top of the banda. This was causing eggs to rot and many new chicks to die. At the time he imlemented a temporary solution, putting bags over the openings. In April he built a more permanent improve, replacing the bags with wood.

He also built a roost – a separate area for hens to lay eggs – and put a divider in the banda so that young vulnerable chickens would be separated from older, stronger chickens. All of these changes have reduced his risk and improved the productivity of the banda.

The next steps for the OMM family are to continue working on their chicken banda and sell a second round of chickins in October of 2018. Looking ahead, they hope to expand their business to ducks and goats to generate sustainable income and self-reliance.