ANAW - OPEN WING ALLIANCE PROJECT
Title: Action Towards Cage Free Poultry Farming in Kenya
Duration: 12 months (April 2020- March 2021) – ongoing
Preamble
Poultry farming is a thriving industry in Kenya whereby over 1 million tonnes in total of meat and eggs are produced annually. The bulk of it is subsistence poultry farming in rural areas across the country. But the popularity of poultry farming in towns and cities is growing rapidly to supplement income and nutrition needs for the ever-increasing population of the urban poor people. Battery cage chicken farming is increasingly being promoted as a viable and cost-effective method of production and seems to be gaining attraction from many farmers. Further, there are many suppliers advertising for the sale of battery cages for poultry farmers in the country.
Scientific evidence confirms that birds living in barren cages suffer immensely. Poultry in such conditions are deprived of welfare at the detriment of their health. Farmers counter deteriorating health through inoculation and regular administration of anti-biotic treatments to the confined birds. Several studies show that animals exposed to large doses of such treatment develop anti-microbial resistance and humans consuming their products are at risk of getting similar conditions. In addition, consumers are not so concerned or aware of farming conditions where poultry products are sourced or the health risks posed by such products.
Hence, Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW), a non-governmental organization registered in Kenya with a mandate to promote humane treatment of all animals in Africa, has undertaken a project to assess the current status and trends of battery cage poultry farming in Kenya as a preliminary step to developing a nationwide campaign to promote cage-free chicken farming in Kenya.
Goal and objectives of the project
The objectives of this project are as follows;
- To establish the status of caged poultry farming in Kenya and produce a report on the same.
- To assess the operational framework concerning the use of cages for poultry farming and work towards awareness on the need for promoting cage-free chicken farming in Kenya.
- Through robust media campaigns during the project implementation period, there will be increased public awareness and consciousness on the demerits of caged poultry farming.
- Formation of a coalition to build consensus on the need to promote cage-free chicken farming in Kenya and consequently safeguard chicken welfare.