Scientific Poultry Management for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Enhancing Productivity, Profitability and Nutritional Security

Poultry farming has emerged as one of the most dynamic and rapidly expanding sectors of agriculture and animal husbandry. It plays a crucial role in ensuring nutritional security, generating rural employment, and increasing farmers’ income. Poultry products such as eggs and meat provide high-quality protein, vitamins, and essential nutrients that are important for human health. Scientific poultry management practices including proper housing, feeding, breeding, sanitation, and disease control significantly enhance poultry productivity and reduce mortality rates.The present study examines the importance of poultry management practices and their role in improving production efficiency and economic returns for farmers. Poultry farming requires relatively low investment and offers quick returns compared to other livestock enterprises, making it particularly suitable for small and marginal farmers. Adoption of improved management techniques such as balanced nutrition, vaccination schedules, environmental control, and proper farm hygiene can increase egg production and broiler growth rates. The findings of the study indicate that farmers who adopt scientific poultry management practices achieve higher productivity, improved feed conversion ratios, and better flock health. However, several challenges such as disease outbreaks, inadequate technical knowledge, poor farm infrastructure, and fluctuating market prices continue to affect poultry farming. Therefore, the promotion of scientific poultry management practices through training, extension services, and institutional support is essential for strengthening the poultry sector and improving rural livelihoods.