Horizontal Spread of Vanaraja Poultry Bird in Chandel District of Manipur after Intervention of FLD
Abstract
In Chandel district of Manipur, almost every rural household rears one or two livestock along with 5-10 desi birds under backyard poultry farming (BPF). Rearing of desi chickens is interwoven with the culture and tradition of tribal people and is kept for ritual purposes. According to traditional knowledge, black-coloured birds are used for medicinal purposes. However, the poultry sector in the district has remained rather stagnant due to the low productivity of native poultry varieties reared under the backyard system. Vanaraja is a breed of choice under the backyard system to augment poultry production in Chandel district of Manipur due to its coloured plumage, disease resistance, coupled with higher egg production and faster growth rate. This paper documents the horizontal spread of Vanaraja poultry birds following Front Line Demonstrations (FLD) conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Chandel, and assesses the impact on livelihood security of tribal farm women.
Keywords
Vanaraja
Horizontal spread
Front Line Demonstration
Backyard poultry
Chandel district
Manipur.
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Introduction
Poultry farming plays a vital role in improving the livelihood and nutritional security of rural households. Among the improved poultry varieties developed for backyard farming, Vanaraja birds have gained significant popularity due to their adaptability, higher productivity, and low input requirements. Developed by the ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Hyderabad, Vanaraja birds are specifically suited for free-range and semi-intensive systems commonly practiced in villages.
Vanaraja birds are dual-purpose, providing both eggs and meat, which makes them an excellent source of regular income for farmers. They are hardy in nature, resistant to common diseases, and can thrive under scavenging conditions with minimal supplementary feeding. Compared to local indigenous birds, Vanaraja birds grow faster, attain higher body weight, and produce more eggs, thereby enhancing overall productivity.
Rearing Vanaraja birds requires relatively low investment, making it accessible to small and marginal farmers, landless labourers, and women entrepreneurs. Their ability to utilize locally available feed resources further reduces the cost of production. Additionally, the demand for desi-type eggs and meat in local markets ensures better pricing, contributing to increased profitability. Thus, Vanaraja bird rearing has emerged as a sustainable and profitable enterprise that supports rural livelihoods.
Conclusion
The widespread adoption of Vanaraja bird rearing has contributed significantly to livelihood improvement, nutritional security, and employment generation in Chandel district. It serves as a sustainable and scalable model for rural development, particularly benefiting small and marginal farmers and women in the district. The widespread performance of Vanaraja birds across villages indicates their acceptability among farmers due to low input requirements, scavenging ability, and comparatively higher productivity than local indigenous birds. Overall, the rearing of Vanaraja birds can be considered a sustainable and profitable enterprise, especially for small and marginal farmers, playing a significant role in improving the rural economy and supporting poverty alleviation.
References
[1] ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research. (2015). Vanaraja poultry: A dual purpose bird for rural backyard farming. Hyderabad, India.
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