ISSN 2360-798X
Abstract: This study assessed the attributes of rural women poultry farmers’ preference for Noiler birds’ production in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The study was conducted in five Agricultural Development project (ADP) zones, namely Argungu, Birnin Kebbi, Bunza, Yauri and Zuru. Two local government areas were first purposively selected from each of the ADP zones. Two Villages were then selected in each of the selected local government areas making a total of 20 villages for the study. Finally 240 respondents were randomly selected from a sampling frame of 675 women poultry farmers. A total of 240 respondents, therefore constituted the sample size of the study. Primary data collected using a structure questionnaire and interview. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 3. Both descriptive statistics and pairwise ranking were used in data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to achieve objectives 1 while pair wise ranking were used to achieve objective 2 respectively. The results revealed that a good number (45.8%) of the respondents were within the age range 30 – 39 years. Also good number (53.3%) had non-formal education (46.7%) of them having poultry farming and trading as their major source of income. The result equally shows that fast growing ability, large body size and high market value were the major perceived attributes that affected rural women poultry famer’s preferences for Noiler bird. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that the Noiler breed of chicken was highly accepted among rural women poultry farmers in the study area. It is therefore, recommended. Poultry disease vaccine (i.e. thermos table Newcastle diseases vaccine NDV 4 and i2) should be provided to the rural women poultry farmers in the study area by the government and NGOS so as to reduce the disease infestation. Also loans and credit at single digit interest should be provided to the rural women poultry farmers in the study area by banks, government and NGOS so as ‘to help them to boost their production capacity. More hatcheries for Noiler bird should be established by investors or innovated Kerosene incubator made recently by the NVRI, Vom should be made available to the women farmers by government or NGOS. So as to improve the availability of Noiler day old chicks in the study area.
Keywords: Assessment, Attributes, Noiler Birds, Rural Women Poultry Farmers