First Person: ‘My eggs are too expensive to eat’ (and that’s a good thing)
More than 80 individuals who raise chickens in the Anosy Region have been given these birds, which may potentially change their lives. These birds originally come from India, but they are now doing well in Tanzania.
The FAO imported eggs from an East African nation to incubate chicks in Madagascar.
Lucette Vognentseva, one of the recent proprietors, was interviewed by UN News at her residence in Ifotaka.
In November, FAO gave me a total of five chickens – three females and two males. Currently, two of the hens have produced a total of 46 eggs, while the remaining one has not yet laid any.
Kuroiler chickens are known for their excellent egg-laying and meat-producing abilities. They outperform local chickens in terms of growth rate, size, egg production, and resilience to harsh conditions.
I am able to trade one of my eggs for 2000 ariary [$0.45], which is four times the value of a typical chicken egg. My eggs are considered too pricey for consumption; instead, individuals seek me out to purchase one egg with the intention of hatching it in hopes of obtaining a male that can be bred with their local hens. This will enhance the quality of their chicken population and ultimately be more profitable for them.
Some individuals desire to have their hens mate with my rooster, but I decline as I cannot guarantee their chickens are disease-free. My own chickens are vaccinated and in good health.
One of the chickens raised from a Tanzanian egg is owned by Lucette Vognentseva.
The chickens reside in the coop that I constructed and are not free to roam like the neighboring birds. I must purchase specialized food for them from the market since they are unable to forage for their own sustenance.
These creatures have been tamed and now acknowledge me. I am able to determine when they require food or desire water.
I suggest that fellow farmers who are interested in raising these foreign birds should be brave. These purebred birds from Tanzania are profitable. My goal is to expand my flock.
I have gained recognition in the village as the go-to person for advice on raising these birds. People refer to me as the “Foreign chicken lady.”
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will collaborate with the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) to enhance nutrition in Ifotaka and surrounding areas. This will be done by helping to supply eggs and meat to WFP’s locally-sourced school feeding program.
Source: news.un.org
