Collective chicken farming a winner
Collective chicken farming a winner
Some chicken farmers raise their flocks with industrial feed products and closely kept chickens in small cages. This intense industrial farming produces many chickens and many eggs as quickly as possible, but the quality of the end products is considered inferior to those which come from animals that eat a more varied diet and are free to move around and develop their muscles.
Heifer International Cambodia formed cooperatives with farmers in 11 provinces, and trained them in how to successfully raise free-range chickens without resorting entirely to agricultural feed. The farmers are pleased with the increased profits that their birds can generate, despite the extra work that is required.
Chea Ty, one of more than 300 members of the Roneam Samaky Agricultural Cooperative, in Sre Ronong commune’s Chrey Neang village of Takeo province’s Tram Kak district, told The Post that he had been a member of the cooperative for four or five years. He raises chickens from the egg until adulthood.
He said that raising free-range chickens required careful techniques, which included managing their diets, as well as providing vaccinations against disease.
He added that he has an electric incubator, which was provided by Heifer, with financial support from the government. The incubator can hold 1,880 eggs for the 21 days it takes for them to hatch.
He said not all of them would hatch each time, as there were always a few that were unfertilised or damaged. The use of the incubator depended on the time of year, and the weather conditions in Takeo.
After hatching, the chicks are given medicine and fed a special diet to make them strong. After 21 days, they are switched to a natural diet. His cages are large, and built on flat ground, which allows his birds to move around freely and also forage for insects.
“I am pleased that I joined the cooperative, because it has helped increase the income of my family. I try to encourage more people to form these kinds of cooperatives – we use the same model for both our rice and chicken farming and it has made our lives better,” he said.
Sorm Kimsan, the deputy head of the Roneam Samaky Agricultural Cooperative, told The Post that he had four to five hundred chickens on his farm.
He said the market had plummeted during the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic – likely due to supply chain disruptions – but that it had recovered nicely.
The cooperative would pay 16,000 to 17,000 riel ($3.90-4.10) per kg for live chickens, while a dressed and plucked chicken could bring 26,000 riel per kg.
Each of his cages measured 10m x 5m and held just 50 birds. His meant the chickens could move around freely.
As the birds can forage themselves, it is not necessary to feed them completely on a diet of industrial feed. They also eat rice and an assortment of vegetables.
“I believe the meat of my chickens is denser than those which are tightly caged. I have heard many consumers expressing their preference for the taste of my birds,” he said.
Kimsan added that along with the more than 300 households in the collective, he has received extensive training from Heifer International Cambodia.
“The organisation does not appear to be taking advantage of the community, and I have nothing but praise for them,” he said.
Roneam commune chief Kheng Sokhon told The Post that he was delighted to see a large number of farmers raising chickens for sale, as it provided them with a supplementary income alongside their rice farming.
He had seen the growth of markets for many community products, including chickens.
“As a representative of the authorities, I am very happy to see people succeeding. It is really important that there are more options for people in the area to discover new sources of income, because we have an aging population – many young people leave the commune to find work elsewhere,” he said.
Chum Rithy, programme director of Heifer International Cambodia, told The Post that the organisation focused on agricultural production lines, including raising Cambodian chickens and producing safe vegetables.
Another of their roles is to facilitate access to microfinance institutions or banks, so farmers can secure the capital they need to expand their businesses.
He said they also liaise with the provincial Department of Commerce and agricultural technicians from the private sector and other organisations, to help train farmers.
There is also a veterinarian in the community who was trained to support the farmers.
According to Rithy, Heifer International Cambodia has been in Cambodia since 1984, and working in agriculture for more than 20 years. Between 2015 and 2018, they established many cooperative communities.
The organisation supports 50 farming communities in 11 provinces – Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Pursat, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Kampong Speu, Takeo, Kampot, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng.
“We have established collectives of farmers that hatch their own chickens and raise them for meat. We use less industrial animal feed, as we add natural vegetables to our chickens’ diet,” he added.
