Enhancing livelihood and nutritional security through NABARD-sponsored backyard poultry among women SHGs in Zunheboto district of Nagaland

Introduction

Livestock plays a vital role in ensuring food and nutritional security as well as livelihood support in rural India. In the northeastern state of Nagaland, a substantial gap exists between the demand and availability of animal-based protein sources. As per the Annual Administrative Report (2022-23) of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, the state faces a deficit of 38.50 MT of meat and 1,520.19 lakh eggs annually. The per capita availability of meat (40 g/day) and eggs (22 eggs/year) is considerably lower than the recommended levels of 70 g/day and 182.5 eggs/year, respectively. Backyard poultry farming is recognized as an effective intervention to bridge this gap due to its low input requirement, quick returns, and suitability for smallholder farmers, particularly women. Several studies have highlighted that backyard poultry significantly contributes to income generation and nutritional security in rural households (Pal et [7,5,9] . Improved dual-purpose poultry strains such as Rainbow Rooster have shown better adaptability and productivity under semi-scavenging systems, especially in hilly regions (Kumar et al. 2021; Borah et al. 2023) [6,1] . One of the major constraints in backyard poultry development is the limited availability of quality chicks in rural areas. The introduction of low-cost incubation technologies has been reported to enhance chick availability and promote self-reliance among farmers (Dinesh et al. 2025; Singh et al. 2025) [4,8] . Moreover, backyard poultry farming has been widely recognized as a tool for women's empowerment by improving their economic participation and decision-making ability (Yadav et al. 2022; Das et al. 2022) [10,3] . In this context, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Zunheboto, implemented a NABARD-supported programme aimed at promoting backyard poultry among women SHGs by providing quality chicks of Rainbow Rooster birds, using low-cost egg incubators and improved management practices. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of this intervention on livelihood and nutritional security.

Materials and Methods

Study area

The study was conducted in 5 villages of Akuluto Block of Zunheboto district of Nagaland, characterized by hilly terrain, moderate rainfall, and predominantly tribal farming communities.

Selection of beneficiaries

A total of 60 women beneficiaries belonging to 6 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) were selected through purposive sampling based on their interest and resource availability.

Intervention details

The selected beneficiaries were provided with:

• 100-day-old chicks of improved strain (Rainbow Rooster) • Formulated starter and grower feed for the initial first 20 days www.extensionjournal.com

• Feeders and drinkers • Vaccination and veterinary support • Low-cost egg incubators for on-farm chick production

Capacity building

Training programmes, demonstrations, and regular field visits were conducted to impart scientific knowledge on feeding, housing, and disease management along with handling incubators for increased hatchability.

Data collection and analysis

Data were collected through personal interviews, farm records, and field observations. The data were analyzed using simple statistical tools such as averages and percentages.

Results and Discussion

Production performance

The intervention resulted in the production of 22,618 eggs under backyard conditions after 24 weeks of age. Improved feeding, vaccination, and management practices contributed to better survivability and productivity of birds. Similar improvements in productivity under backyard systems have been reported by Yadav et al. (2022) [10] and Borah et al.

Nutritional security

A total of 1,380 birds were consumed at the household level, significantly enhancing protein intake. The availability of eggs further improved dietary diversity among beneficiary households. These findings corroborate earlier reports that backyard poultry plays a crucial role in improving household nutrition (Pal et al. 2020; Singh et al. 2021) [7,9] .

Economic impact

The economic benefits derived from the intervention are presented below: [3] and Chauhan et al. (2024) [2] , who observed significant income enhancement through backyard poultry interventions.

Role of low-cost incubator

The introduction of low-cost incubators enabled farmers to produce chicks locally, reducing dependence on external hatcheries and ensuring sustainability of the enterprise. Similar observations were made by Dinesh et al. (2025) [4] , who reported improved chick availability and enterprise continuity through low-cost incubation technologies.

Women empowerment

The programme significantly enhanced the economic participation and decision-making capacity of women SHG members. It also improved their technical skills and confidence in managing poultry enterprises. These findings are in agreement with earlier studies highlighting the role of backyard poultry in women's empowerment (Yadav et al. 2022; Singh et al. 2025) [10,8] .

Conclusion

The study demonstrates that backyard poultry farming, supported by improved breeds and low-cost technologies, is an effective strategy for enhancing livelihood and nutritional security in rural Nagaland. The intervention not only increased income and protein availability but also empowered women SHGs. The model has strong potential for replication in similar agro-ecological regions.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors acknowledge the financial support of NABARD, Dimapur, Nagaland and the cooperation of the women SHG members and the support of KVK Zunheboto staff.

References

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