Assessing the smallholder poultry farmers characteristics and profitability across poultry enterprise choice in Mpigi town council, Mpigi district.
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Date
2026
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Busitema University
Abstract
Smallholder poultry farming is a crucial driver of livelihoods and food security in peri-urban areas like Mpigi Town Council, Uganda. However, farmers often make enterprise selection decisions without empirical comparative financial data regarding farmer profiles, operational costs, and relative profitability across different poultry options. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 117 randomly selected smallholder poultry farmers across the four administrative wards of Mpigi Town Council. Primary data were gathered using structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS Version 26. Descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests were used to characterize farmers, while Gross Margin (GM) analysis and a one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were performed to compare per-bird financial performance across four enterprise choices: commercial Layers (n=35), Broilers (n=47), Kuroilers (n=17), and Local indigenous chickens (n=18). The farming population was predominantly male (65.8%) with a high literacy rate (96.6% formal education). Broilers (40.2%) and Layers (29.9%) were the most common enterprises. Most farmers operated on a small scale (<500 birds: 65.8%) using intensive housing (61.0%), commercial feeds (86.3%), and high vaccination adoption (80.3%). One-Way ANOVA revealed highly significant financial differences across enterprise types (p < 0.001). Commercial Layers generated the highest mean total revenue (UGX 156,322.30) and highest per-bird gross margin (UGX 91,342.48), followed closely by Kuroilers (UGX 75,144.92). Broilers yielded a modest single-cycle gross margin (UGX 9,466.95), while Local chickens produced the lowest return (UGX 5,203.92) due to slow growth and low output, despite minimal variable inputs. Multi-purpose enterprises with extended production cycles (Layers and Kuroilers) generate superior per-bird profitability through sustained egg production combined with terminal meat sales. While Commercial Layers yield the highest gross margin, Kuroilers present the most viable, risk-resilient alternative for resource-constrained smallholders due to lower variable cost volatility and high adaptability. Strengthening farmer access to operational land, regulating commercial feed costs, and promoting Kuroilers enterprises are recommended to optimize smallholder agribusiness returns in peri-urban settings.
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Undergraduate Research Report
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Citation
Kaboggoza, M. (2026). Assessing the smallholder poultry farmers characteristics and profitability across poultry enterprise choice in Mpigi town council, Mpigi district. [Unpublished undergraduate research report]. Busitema University.