News in Brief:
– Guinea fowl farming is a profitable venture in Nigeria due to the high demand for their meat and eggs.
– Farmers can capitalise on this opportunity by implementing effective management practices.
The guinea fowl, (Numida meleagris), with their distinctive speckled plumage and distinctive calls, has a rich history dating back to ancient times. Native to Africa, they were domesticated centuries ago and have been prized for their meat and eggs.
Globally, France is the largest producer and exporter of guinea fowl meat, while Ghana and South Africa are notable producers on the African continent.
Although the practice of rearing the birds is widespread across Nigeria, regions like the South-West and South-East, are particularly suited for this type of farming. However, Guinea fowl farming, usually a small-scale, subsistence activity, is a burgeoning agricultural venture, with immense profit potential.
The venture is experiencing growing patronage and consumption in most parts of Nigeria due, largely, to a harsh economic climate, leading to the increasing unaffordability of the traditionally consumed poultry birds like chicken and turkey by the masses.
Subsequently, this has opened the doors for many consumers to try new cuisine in this regard, of which guinea fowls have been a top choice. Many consumers find the meat tastier than chicken, due to its gamey nature, being inherently wild birds.
A resilient and beneficial poultry choice
Many farmers are opting to raise guinea fowls as a means of livelihood and to broaden the culinary options for many Nigerian poultry lovers.
Moreover, the choice is influenced by the fact that, unlike chickens, guinea fowls don’t require an intensive feeding regime because of their ability to fend for themselves, especially in free-range situations.
Also, they are generally considered hardy birds and rarely are susceptible to the common diseases that usually decimate large flocks of chickens. This particular trait has made them a preferred poultry-raising option. This is especially favourable for aspiring farmers, being a cost-effective one.
They are unmatched by chickens in their pest-control abilities, and loud alarm calls in the face of present danger.
A farmer’s story
With increasing demand, coupled with the unique qualities of guinea fowl meat and eggs, farmers can capitalise on this growing market to reap substantial rewards. One such farmer who has made a living raising guinea fowl is John Ifejirika.
According to the 31-year-old farmer, who is based in the Agboju area of Lagos, his foray into guinea fowl farming came about accidentally.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of sustainable agriculture, and poultry farming seemed like a promising avenue,” he told this publication in an interview. “I have been raising chickens since I was a child with my peasant parents back when I was in the village, so I already had some appreciable level of experience with poultry birds.”
However, it was not until after he completed his tertiary education that he decided to go into poultry farming full-time. He explained that the ‘office jobs’ he was applying for were not forthcoming.
He started his poultry with a few chickens and had bought some eggs to hatch on his own. The seller unintentionally sold six guinea fowl eggs mixed with chickens to him and he only found out after they hatched.
An unexpected turn of events
Despite keeping the guinea fowls, he never gave much thought to their welfare because his focus was really on the hatched chickens. He confesses that he even expected them to die within a few weeks. However, they survived all six of them, against expectations.
“What was surprising to me, a real eye-opening moment for me was that although I never really gave them much of a chance of survival, and didn’t provide them any form of medical care, the six of them grew into very healthy adult birds, while I lost almost 60% of my chickens,” he revealed.
A thriving business emerges
Ifejirika learned his lesson and started focusing more on guinea fowl production, researching and reading materials about them. Eventually, he raised a substantial number of guinea fowls in his home and now gets orders for supplies which nets him a significant amount of profit.
“I currently have over 2,000 birds and I make anywhere between ₦5,000 to ₦12,000 on a single bird, depending on age and size. I also sell the eggs to a buyer whose demands are sometimes more than I can meet,” he says.
This has led to appreciable gains, he adds, especially considering that he doesn’t spend much money on guinea fowl inputs like he used to do for chickens.
Things to consider before starting a guinea fowl farm in Nigeria
Ifejirika, however, advised aspiring breeders to pay attention to the downsides of guinea fowl farming as this could adversely impact earnings.
- Noise pollution: The birds are quite noisy and it could be a challenge for young or aspiring farmers living in not well-spaced neighbourhoods because it can lead to conflict with neighbours. The good side of their loud noise is that it is an effective alarm system that could help in warding off danger from pests like hawks, cats, or even snakes
- Wild tendencies: The birds possess wild instincts that make them difficult to handle, unlike some chicken breeds, which are quite tame by nature. Hence, farmers require more patience in dealing with them because their aggressive and territorial behaviour can sometimes lead to lethal confrontations between the birds. They have flight ability, too, which could lead to them being stolen from their locations.
- Buy healthy stock and employ good production practices: It is important to source healthy chicks from reputable breeders, provide a balanced diet, maintain a clean environment, and explore various market channels.
As demand for alternative protein sources grows, especially given Nigeria’s harsh economic climate, farmers like John Ifejirika opine that guinea fowl farming presents a lucrative opportunity for Nigerian entrepreneurs.
He concludes that implementing effective management practices and leveraging the unique qualities of these birds can help aspiring guinea fowl farmers build a sustainable and profitable business.
