1. Ben Lukuyu, David Ngunga, Leonard Marwa and Alphonce Haule
Training on designing Smallholder dairy/poultry housing and feed storage
Babati District
8 – 14 May’2017
Prepared by
Ben Lukuyu, David Ngunga, Leonard Marwa and Alphonce Haule

2. Background
Improved dairy and poultry production system is receiving close attention by many smallholder crop-livestock farming system in Babati district.
Lack of proper breeds, diseases, availability of animal feeds, feeding arrangements and reliable market are the major constraints to dairy production.
Besides above setbacks, lack of proper poultry houses and feed store contributes to inadequate performance of indoor kept livestock e.g. dairy cows and poultry

3. Back ground cont…
The study was designed to give opportunity to farmers to decide on what type of poultry house and feed store they would want to build in their areas which are affordable and suits their environment
Five villages were involved in the study: Matufa, Hallu, Gallapo, Seloto/Haysam and Shaurimoyo
Ten farmers (gender based) attended the discussion in (5 male and 5 female ) from each village

4. Objectives of farmers participatory poultry house and feed store design
To discuss on desirable attributes that farmers need for adequate satisfactory poultry house and feed store according to farmers preference
Learn the location, design, construction and management principles would farmers want to adopt
Increase awareness of the farmers on construction of improved livestock structures
Farmers discussing on construction of poultry/feed store

5. Topic discussed
Reason for building poultry houses and feed store for smallholder poultry and dairy cattle keepers
Types of poultry houses and feed store commonly used
Size of poultry house and feed store needed
Managing poultry house and feed store
Materials to be used for building strong and cost affordable house

6. Reason for building poultry house and feed store
The importance of having good poultry house
Reduce chick mortality – from harsh weather, theft and predators
Improve collection of eggs and reduce egg loss
It improves breeding rates of flocks
Why construct a feed store?
Be sure of a place to store livestock feeds in wet and dray season
Reduce spoilage of feed due to dampness and termites
Store feeds which will be used during the dry season when there is scarcity of feed especially for ruminant animals

7. Types of houses and storage used
Farmers had the opportunity to explicate on the current type of households found to many small-scale crop livestock keepers in Babati
Farmers revealed that the current structures used to preserve animals and stock feeds are not conducive and they asked to be assisted in building good farm structures.
Current livestock feed storage for most small-scale farmers
A poultry house

8. Size of poultry house and feed store needed
The design process started with brainstorming session; All elements that could influence on getting good design were discussed by farmers. Simple sketch and diagram were used to give the actual meaning of what farmers wanted the house and feed store to appear
The strongest idea developed being conveyed in the form of loose sketch and taken by the designer for refinement and final design
Farmers brainstorming on designing simple farm structures in Matufa village
A sketch of poultry and feed store

9. Managing of poultry and feed store
Materials to be used in building structures
Mud bricks, timber, iron sheets, thatch, wire mesh were the most tools proposed to be used in building structures
For the feed store, farmers suggested that the store should have a raised racks that will be used to store stoves. Also, the flow should be treated with ant-termites chemicals to prevent/control mites
A house should have enough space to allow cleanness, checking moisture to avoid spoilage of stored feeds

10. Simple calculation conducted to attain affordable cost in building poultry house and feed store
The plan was pertinent to the available materials in the village, price of the item and its sustainability
Farmers agreed to choose a building that can be affordable still have all attributes they wanted
Different prices/values discussed during farmers group discussion in the villages

11. Lesson learnt
Farmers especially women felt empowered to explore their views on the attributes they need in the designed structures
Farmers were happy to receive a fully involvement in designing and management of structures
The information to be gathered from this study will reflect ideas from both farmers and researchers

12. Way forward
It was agreed that the designs to be captured from the villages, will be refined and farmers will have the opportunity to choose two best design that will be used for demonstration in the respective villages
The farmers group shall select volunteer farmer who will perform the trial in each village
Most of the materials will be offered by the farmers and the technical assistance will be offered by researchers