Increasing Poultry Production for Zambian Farmers
OVO Solar Technologies
Florence, a smallholder farmer from Hangata village in Zambia’s Southern Province watched as her neighbours abandoned their farms due to poor rainfall. While Florence owned an impressive 85 chickens, she struggled to make ends meet due to a low hatch rate. As a mother of five children, she had to make hard decisions about who to send to school and where to spend her limited income.
Women farmers own up to 70% of all chickens in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women predominantly manage poultry farming because chickens can be kept close to the homestead, allowing women to continue their childcare and domestic duties. In Zambia, many farm families raise chickens to supplement their diets and incomes. However, the productivity of their small, informal poultry businesses is limited by the naturally low hatch rate of eggs. While electric incubators have been used by some farmers, most require grid electricity or rely on fossil fuels to operate. These resources are costly and unreliable for most producers in the region.
In late 2020, Florence participated in an innovation tested by OVO Solar Technologies and local Zambian partners VITALITE and Musika. As part of the test, the organizations distributed solar chicken egg incubators, along with related training, as a means to help rural farmers in Zambia increase their hatch rate, raise more chickens, diversify their incomes and improve their overall livelihoods. The majority of the 94 participants were women farmers and most purchased their incubators with pay-as-you-go financing. Poultry Journals were given to participants to record profitability and changes in consumption. OVO Solar Technologies tested their innovation in a gender sensitive way by ensuring women’s participation and tailoring training content to the needs of women farmers. In addition, OVO partnered with Zambian NGO Musika, which also places a strong focus on supporting women.
By the end of the testing period, data indicated that the provision of solar egg incubators had a positive effect on participants’ financial and food security, with poultry-related profit increasing by an average of $19.20 during the first 3 months. The participants who purchased their incubators using pay-as-you-go financing (95% of participants) increased their access to financing through improved income. Most incubators had a positive effect on women’s financial security, while over a third of incubators sold increased women’s financial independence.
Florence’s poultry business grew substantially, turning stable profits and increasing her financial security. In three months, she went from owning 85 chickens to owning 207.
“This incubator farming is very easy, and it gives you profit! I can send all five of my children to school, and purchase farming inputs, and also have money for other family needs.”
Florence has already started selling mature roosters and eggs. In three months, she sold $230 CAD, which is more than 60% of her investment in her incubator. The female chickens that she hatched are starting to lay eggs now, so her flock will grow even faster.
As Florence’s poultry business grows, she plans to keep investing. She wants to complete her pay-as-you-go payments for the incubator ahead of schedule and her target for 2026 is to own at least 1000 chickens. She also plans to expand her crop production. The profits from her chicken sales ensure that she can buy the improved seeds and other inputs that will improve her maize and soybean yields. She also has money for emergencies or surprises, so she feels more stable when many other farmers in her area are anxious about their livelihoods.
“This incubator has changed our lives to become better than they were before.”
