Project Detail

Preservation of the unique gene pool of Lesotho's indigenous chickens

For Lesotho, the loss of gene pool of indigenous chickens poses several significant problems such as lack of disease resistance of which those genes are available in indeginous chickens which are endangered and face extinction. Indigenous chickens, a significant buffer against poor nutrition and poverty reduction for subsistence farmers, have forage freely in villages without requiring expensive feed and building their immunity to most local diseases. The project aims to research and demonstrate the performance of indigenous chickens (true-to-type-Basotho chicken) under propoer management and to initiate breeding to sustainable levels. It is also meant to create awareness and add value to the importance of the indigenous chickens by government and wider Lesotho community. Indigenous chickens will be identified from various community areas in the country for breeding in a model model breeding farm in the vicinity of the target community at Ha Noosi - Mafeteng, one of the driest districts of Lesotho with high drought and environmental degradation risks and low soil fertility. The project will target vulnerable households and will adopt a pass-the-gift system.

Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Rural Self-Help Development Association

Country:

Lesotho

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

OP4 - Y2 (Jul 08 - Jun 09)

Grant Amount:

US$ 32,660.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 49,803.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 41,560.00

Project Number:

LSO/SGP/OP4/Y2/CORE/2008/02

Start Date:

11/2008

End Date:

11/2010

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

Planning non gef grant

- Continuous dissemination of project results through open days, seminars and through the Grantee website and collaboration with other NGOs and institutions is being pursued in a bid to garner more support and to mobilize new and additional resources to upscale

Project sustainability

- results and lessons learnt are documented and will continue to be updated and disseminated - Grantee will continue to support identified households using other sources of funding - the pass-on-the-gift system is engaged to ensure that the chickens are passed on from household to household thereby increasing the populations of the indigenous/village chickens in the project area and beyond - Involvement of local authorities and the district agricultural office will ensure sustainability of project results beyond SGP funding. Breeding of the village chickens is in the plans of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and this will be informed by the results generated from the project, hence there are prospects for more support from government and more prospects for replicationof the project.

Policy Influence

A study was conducted, jointly with the Department of Livestock Services, on the socio-economic status of villge poultry with the objective of raising the status of village chicken as an important contributor to household income and food and also to deepen undertstanding of the status and generate contenet to engaging with policy maker to invest on the indigenous chickens as a genetic resource of national significance. Seminars are being held to disseminate the project results and findings further to inform and influence policy

Gender Focus

All groups targeted. As it turns out, village/indigenous chickens are women domain in terms of ownership, overall control and managment.

Policy Impact

Contribution to the implementaion of the national food security policy; results may inform formulation of future food security policies and strategies particularly those relating to poultry. Contribution to the maintenance of the national gene pool

Replication of project activities

Even though direct beneficiaries of the project are vulnerable households, particulalrely infected and affected by HIV and AIDS in selected villages, more households in neighbouring villages will benefit through the pass-on-the-gift system. Other NGOs that are engaged in poultry projects focusing on promotion of other types of chicken that do not brood are already showing interest to partner with the Grantee for the supply of surrogate hens.

Notable Community Participation

First step in project development was sensitization of local community council and chief who convened a village gathering. The community will be central in the project planning and implementation as they are expected to provide daily management of the chickens bred from the farm. two members of hte community were trained and are responsible for organizing immunization campaigns in the five villages forming a buffer zone. The bred chickens are distributed to vulnerable households (people living with HIV/AIDS) through the pass-on-the gift system.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Households which benefit from the pass-on-the-gift system are expected to breed the chickens for own consumption and sale (meat and eggs) and to contribute to the pass-on-the-gift system to ensure that as many vulnerable households as possible benefit

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

None

Linkages gef projects

None

Planning gef grant

None

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

The breeding program will create awareness on the production potential of indigenous chickens with a view of sensitizing farmers and other stakeholders to invest on this significant genetic resource and which copes very well under extreme climatic conditions

Capacity - Building Component

The grantee works very closely with the Department of livestock services to benefit from their expertise.villgers have been trained on how and when to organize vaccination campaigns. A model for imroved production of indigenous chicken will be developed and imparted to villagers

Project Results

- A study was conducted, jointly with the Department of Livestock Services, on the socio-economic status of village poultry with the objective of raising the status of village chicken as an important contributor to household income and food and also to deepen understanding of the status and generate content to engaging with policy maker to invest on the indigenous chickens as a genetic resource of national significance.

- 7 types of village/indigenous chicken, segregated by plumage, bred

- 360 households have benefited through the pass-on-the gift system

- Clean Water that has been harnessed from a natural spring to supply the breeding farm is also supplying clean water to about 500 members of the community living in the vicinity of the project

- Vulnerable Households that have received birds are now getting supplementary protein from eggs and some cash income from the occasional sale of eggs and chickens.

- Adoption of green energy for project activities: the hatchery that was powered by a diesel generator now powered with solar energy as well as the breeding farm.

- Strengthened partnership between the Grantee-Department Livestock Services-Other NGOs- Local Authorities

- Increased interest/market for organically produced chicken and eggs

- There is increased awareness about the importance and status of village chicken within and beyond the project area.
- RSDA supplying local dual chicks and organic eggs countrywide, 15 years on.

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Indicators

Biophysical

Number of national policies informed in biodiversity focal area 3

Empowerment

Number of CBOs / NGOs participated / involved in SGP project 5

Livehood

Increase in household income by increased income or reduced costs due to SGP project 136

Livehood

Number of households who have benefited* from SGP project 150

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