Dodoma's population is growing rapidly creating a high demand for food security like chicken products. However, the distribution of chickens’ management systems, breed of chicken kept, and challenges facing chicken production in Dodoma are less documented. This study focused on finding out the productivity of chicken in terms of flock size and how it is affected by the management system, types/breed of chicken keeping, and evaluating the challenges facing chicken production in Dodoma. A cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate data from the two randomly selected districts namely, Kongwa and Dodoma Municipal. The results showed that the average flock size was significantly ( P < 0.0001) higher in Dodoma municipal (mean = 124.56 ± 35.08, n = 200) than in Kongwa district (mean = 42.55 ± 5.54, n = 200). Broiler and layers keeping under the intensive system were dominant in Dodoma municipal while local breed chicken under the free-range system was dominant in Kongwa district ( P < 0.001). Diseases were the main challenge facing chicken production. It was eminent that, diseases and other challenges such as theft, predation, lack of experts, unavailable space and huts for keeping chicken, and insufficient feed staffs for chicken significantly lowered the chicken production in Dodoma ( P < 0.05). It is conclusive that, the demand for chicken products in Dodoma is higher and will continue to increase. There is a need for chicken keepers to increase production to overcome the current deficit. The increases in production should go hand in hand with solving the challenges which face chicken production in Dodoma.

Aims:Poaching of wildlife is a major challenge in their conservation, including endemic ones like Procolobus gordonorum Matschie. Local communities in Udzungwa and Magombera poach for subsistence and small scale commerce. The Community poultry project adjacent to Magombera forest contributed towards enhancing the conservation of wildlife species through providing community with poultry as an alternative livelihood where meat and income can be generated in legal and convenient methods. Place and Duration of Study:This study took place in communities surrounding the Magombera Forest in the Morogoro region of Tanzania. The study was conducted from July 2018 to January 2019. Methodology: Random semi-structured questionnaires with Likert scaling were administered to 119 local community members neighbouring the Magombera Forest. A training workshop in which Ngongolo et al.; AJRAF, 2(4): 1-7, 2018; Article no.AJRAF.46794 2 the participants were trained on veterinary and improved rearing practices in order to address the challenges were administered to 52 participants, followed by pre-and post-training evaluation questions that assessed the challenges and opportunity for poultry keeping. Results: Sixty one percent of respondents reported that they kept chickens before training, after training all showed an inclination to keep chickens for meat and income generation. The respondents reported that challenges for poultry keeping are diseases control, market for products, rearing system and predators and parasites. Conclusion: Training on poultry production to enhance conservation of biodiversity in Magombera forest is essential. However from this study it is clear that crucial challenges (such as diseases) for successful poultry production, specified by local communities, need to be dealt with first. Original Research Article

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Chickens, in many households, are kept by women and the youths, providing employment and means of increasing family economic gains. However, little information on the social-economic contribution of chickens' production in Dodoma is available. This study examined the potential of chickens' production in Kongwa district and Dodoma municipality in Tanzania. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey (with Likert scaling) was conducted, and in-depth interviews were used to gather information from the local livestock keepers. A total of 200 were interviewed, and of these, 33.93% were male and 66.07% were female. The entire family was responsible for chicken management in 66.07% of the households, whereby, in 25% of the households, only women were involved, and in 7.01% of the households, only men were involved in rearing chickens. Chicken production contributed socially and economically through meat, manure, offerings, source of income, aesthetic value (beauty), provision of school fees, and source of employment. The contribution of chicken production socially and economically among these categories varied significantly (Kruskal-Wallis statistical test = 33.36, P < 0.001). The potential customers for the chicken and their products were nearby shops (60.71%), individuals (retails) (85.71%), animal market place (Mnadani) (62.5%), travelers (55.35%), and restaurants (61.71%). The average selling price for the chicken was 12,500 Tanzanian Shilling ( Tsh ), whereas, for cocks, it was 13000 Tsh, and hens were sold at 10,000 Tsh. Chicken keeping is a very important sector in resource-constrained families as it provides for family proteins and income which support family health care, education, and other social needs. However, the productivity is not encouraging, so more education and support on chicken keeping is essential to enhance a positive economic impact on the local communities.

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