Socio-economic characteristics of broiler farmers in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh
Abstract
The socio-economic factors related to the farmers play a very important role in the adoption of improved techniques of production and efficiency in broiler poultry. This study is being carried out in the district of Kanpur Dehat in Uttar Pradesh in the year 2024-25 to analyze the socio-economic factors related to commercial broiler poultry farmers. Out of these, a total of 30 broiler poultry farms have been chosen with the help of a multi-stage sampling method including 10 small, 10 medium, and 10 large broiler farms. The primary data have been collected from the personal interviews through a structured questionnaire. The results indicated that the majority (56.67%) of the broiler farmers were Other Backward Class (OBC) and 30.00% were General category whereas 13.33% were from Scheduled Caste category. Around 60.00% of the respondents were middle aged (36-50 years). It showed that economically productive age groups of people were actively involved in broiler farming. Around 53.33% had higher secondary and above level of education which shows good level of literacy. Majority (63.33%) of the respondents had medium sized families. Similarly, 70.00% of the respondents had nuclear family type of household structure. Farming experience of 6-10 years was there among 43.33% of the respondents. Agriculture along with broiler farming was main occupation of 53.33% of the farmers. Institutional finance was available for 43.33% of the respondents whereas 36.67% used their own capital. The maximum respondents (36.67%) had medium sized landholdings. From the above mentioned facts, it is clear that education, farming experience, institutional credit and medium to large farm size have positive influence on efficient broiler production. Extensive extension services, more institutional credit and adoption of scientific management are necessary for development of broiler farming socio-economically.
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Introduction
Livestock forms an integral part of the agricultural system in India and is a major contributor to rural employment, nutritional security, and income generation. In the livestock-based enterprises, broiler farming has been one of the fastest-growing areas owing to its short production period, capital turn-over, and the growing demand for chicken meat. The poultry industry constitutes a significant portion of agricultural GDP and is a major means of livelihood for many rural households. India has become one of the leading countries in terms of production of poultry meat owing to several reasons such as urbanization, rise in disposable incomes, dietary preferences, and growing awareness about animal proteins. However, poultry farming in India faces many production and marketing constraints and problems despite its rapid growth in production. In states like Uttar Pradesh, production is much less than the demand for chicken meat. Several factors such as age, educational level, experience of farming, family size, occupation, land holding, caste, and institutional credit play a very important role in the management ability of farmers, adoption of scientific poultry farming methods, and farm profitability. During the last ten years, there has been significant development in commercial broiler production in Kanpur Dehat district due to its close location to big cities and increased demand from consumers. However, there is not much empirical data about the socio-economic attributes of broiler farmers in the district. Knowledge about their socio-economic attributes is necessary for making effective extension efforts and developing policies. Thus, the current research study was conducted with the objective to analyze the socio-economic attributes of broiler farmers in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh.
Materials and Methods
Study area
The study was conducted in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh during the agricultural year 2024-25. The district was purposively selected because commercial broiler farming has expanded considerably over recent years.
Sampling technique
A multistage sampling technique was adopted.
Data collection
Primary data were collected through personal interviews using a structured and pre-tested interview schedule.
Analytical techniques
The collected data were analysed using: Frequency Percentage Mean Tabular analysis
Results and Discussion
Caste composition
The caste composition revealed that broiler farming was predominantly practiced by Other Backward Class (OBC) farmers. The predominance of OBC farmers indicates that poultry farming has become an important commercial enterprise among socially and economically active rural communities. More than half (60%) of the farmers had completed higher secondary education or above, suggesting relatively high literacy among commercial poultry farmers. Better education enhances understanding of scientific management, vaccination schedules, biosecurity, and record keeping. The majority of respondents belonged to medium-sized families, ensuring adequate family labour while maintaining manageable household responsibilities.
Category
Age distribution
Family size
Family type
Family Type Number Percentage
Nuclear 21 70.00 Joint 9 30.00
Most broiler farmers belonged to nuclear families, which generally facilitate quicker decision-making and better management flexibility.
Farming experience
Experience Number Percentage
Up to 5 years 8 26.67 6-10 years 13 43.33 Above 10 years 9 30.00
Nearly half of the respondents possessed 6-10 years of broiler farming experience. Experience improves flock management, disease control, feed utilization, and marketing decisions. Agriculture combined with broiler farming was the major occupation, indicating that poultry serves as an important supplementary enterprise for farm income diversification. Medium landholding farmers dominated the sample. Larger land availability facilitates establishment of scientifically designed poultry sheds and expansion of production capacity. Institutional credit through banks was the major source of finance. However, a substantial proportion of farmers continued to rely on personal investment due to limited access to formal credit.
Occupation
Landholding
Landholding
Source of finance
Overall discussion
From the socio-economic analysis, it has been found out that the commercial broiler farming activities in Kanpur Dehat are undertaken by educated, middle-aged, and experienced farmers who have moderatesized landholdings. Nuclear family structure is more common and it helps in making effective decisions, whereas financial institutions help to increase the business activities. It has been found out that education and experience in farming have a positive effect on technology adoption and production efficiency. This point has also been highlighted by Birthal et al. (2012) [1] , Sharma et al. (2014) [2] , FAO (2021) [3] and Kandpal et al. (2023) [4] .
Conclusion
The study shows that commercial broiler production in the district of Kanpur Dehat is largely managed by middle-aged and educated farmers with rich experience. The majority of the respondents fall in the OBC group and practice agriculture alongside commercial broiler farming as a major occupation. Medium land holding and institutional finance have been found to be very significant for successful commercial poultry enterprises. Though the educational level of the respondents is good enough, institutional finance and extension support still need some improvement. Improvement in the socio-economic condition of the farmers by way of capacity building and scientific poultry management will definitely increase the productivity of commercial broiler farming in Uttar Pradesh.
Policy recommendations
1. Support credit mechanisms for small and medium-scale broiler farmers.
2. Conduct frequent trainings on scientific broiler management and biosecurity.
3. Supply adequate veterinary and extension services to villages.
4. Promote the formation of farmer producer organizations (FPOs).
5. Support the involvement of youth in commercial poultry farming.
6. Increase access to advanced infrastructure by using subsidy programmes provided by the government.
7. Build up marketing channels to stabilize prices.
References
- Birthal PS, Negi DS. Livestock for Higher, Sustainable and Inclusive Agricultural Growth. 2012.
- Sharma V, Datta KK. Economics of commercial broiler farming in India. 2014.
- FAO. Poultry Development Review. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome; 2021.
- Kandpal R, Kumar A. Socio-economic determinants of commercial poultry farming in Uttar Pradesh. 2023.
- Government of Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Poultry Development Policy. 2022.
- Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (BAHS). Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India; 2023. International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development https://www.extensionjournal.com 26180731, 2026, 9(9), Downloaded from https://www.doi.org/10.33545/26180723.2026.v9.i9p.4335 by International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development on [30/09/2026]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://www.extensionjournal.com) for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
- DAHD. Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India; 2023. How to cite this article: Kumar S, Gupta R, Upadhyay P, Vedprakash, Singh H, Kumar S, et al. Socio-economic characteristics of broiler farmers in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh. International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development. 2026;9(9):1196-1199. doi: https://www.doi. org/10.33545/26180723.2026.v9.i9p.4335
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