Abstract:
The commercialization of improved poultry farming has a leading role towards nutritional, income
generation, food security, poverty reduction, and livelihood improvement from the rural areas to
the national level. However, specifically there is limited information to explain commercialization
of improved poultry farming along with determinants, challenges and opportunities. The study was
conducted in Wolmera district, Ethiopia, between April, 2021 and May, 2022; aimed at examining
determinants of commercialization of improved poultry farming along with challenges and
opportunities in the practice. Primary data were collected through questionnaires, focus group
discussions, and key informant interviews. Statistical package for social science (SPSS) was used to
analyze quantitative data. In this case, binary logistic regression model was used to analyze
determinants of commercialization of improved poultry farming. In other way, challenges and
opportunities of commercialization of improved poultry farming were transcribed and analyzed
thematically. The results indicate that gender negatively; while educational level, poultry farming
experience, land size, poultry size, and non-farm income of household heads positively influenced
commercialization of improved poultry farming. The major challenges of commercialization of
improved poultry farming were; disease outbreak, high cost of feed, lack of financial capital, poor
management practices, lack of credit services, poor extension services, and inadequate power
supply. In other way, the major opportunities of commercialization of improved poultry farming
were; population demand, market access, availability of poultry sources, veterinary services, and
infrastructure availability. It is recommended that effective vaccination should be done by
veterinarians at various poultry farms to prevent disease outbreak. Alternative feed preparation at
farmer level is also needed to address high cost of feed. Government should arrange credit services
for the farmers at very low interest rates to address financial problems. Farmers should also focus
on appropriate intensive management practices for further commercialization of improved poultry
farming. Appropriate effective extension system should be arranged in the rural areas by extension
officials for sustainable commercialization of improved poultry farming. Government should also
arrange power supply in the rural areas for commercialization of improved poultry farming
