Analysis of Rwandan Smallholder Poultry Farmer Needs in Production Manuals

This study aimed to gather data that could guide the production of a manual, which will be usable by smallholders in Rwanda. The survey sampling method included a convenience sample of Rwandan smallholder farmers. The results of the study cannot be generalized statistically to any larger population. In addition, the recruitment of these subjects was performed by a collaborator in Rwanda who worked in the poultry industry in Rwanda. The subjects he recruited were all connected in some way to the feed mill where the collaborator worked. Many of them had visited the feed mill seeking information about production practices. Therefore, the results are especially unique to this group of participants who could be categorized as especially motivated to educate themselves about poultry production. Also, the needs assessed were limited contextually to the northern region of Rwanda. Still, readers of this study may find similarities to other regions and populations, and the findings regarding proposed educational content for Rwandan producers may lead to further research on similar subjects in other developing regions.