The role of poultry in Kenyan livelihoods and the ex ante impact assessment of HPAI on livelihood outcomes

As in other African countries, poultry production in Kenya is an important livelihoods activity. Eighty percent of the national poultry population is managed in small-scale, non- or semi-commercial, village, or backyard poultry systems (MOLFD 2007). These systems are characterized as low-input and low-output, mainly involving rural or peri-urban households that generally keep indigenous breeds. The few studies on the role of poultry in Kenyan livelihoods suggest that poultry plays an important role in the livelihoods of small-scale poultry producers, contributing to their incomes, wealth, insurance against shocks, diet quality, culture, religion, and tradition (Njenga 2005; Kimani et al. 2006).