Poultry farmer addresses malnutrition with egg-laying project in Kutubu

A poultry farmer is on a mission to breed egg-laying chicks with the goal of improving nutritional health in rural communities.

By providing a sustainable source of fresh, nutritious eggs, this initiative aims to combat malnutrition and reduce the reliance on unhealthy, processed foods, helping families adopt healthier eating habits.

Poultry farmer Alphose Pani from Hederia Village in Kutubu, Southern Highlands Province, launched an egg-laying project after recognizing the widespread child malnutrition caused by inadequate balanced meals in local households.

Mr Pani says his local production of eggs in the community will be accessed at affordable low prices while considering eggs as high protein for a healthier life.

He said he started off little, but he increased into breeding 500 egg-layer chicks starting last December, with 17 weeks of raising these layers.

He said that the 500 egg layers made a monthly turnover of K35,000.

He adds that while the project has cost him over K20,000, he faces challenges with limited funding to expand it, noting that raising meat birds is cheaper due to shorter growth periods, lower costs, and less labor involved.

Despite the high costs, including K20,000 for 500 chicks and freight from Lae Niugini Table Birds, he plans to expand the project to 3,000 egg-laying chicks, aiming for K84,000 in monthly revenue to meet the growing local demand.