Page 28 - AWA VOL.41-NO.7

ANiMAl heAlth

hubbard premium Forum 2025: projects

for small-scale farmers in Africa

Hubbard organised its 5th Premium
Forum for over 160 participants from 32
countries. Attendees came not only from
almost all European countries, but also
from North and South America, Africa
and Asia.

During this event Alfred de Vries of the
Gates Foundation gave an overview of
their activities to promote the availabil-
ity of affordable healthy diets for every-
one in the world. In total, approximately
35% of the world population does not
have access to a healthy diet. The em-
phasis here is on large parts of Africa,
and a number of countries in Southeast
Asia. In these countries, many children
suffer from poor nutrition. In sub-Saha-
ran Africa, the population will be twice
as big in 2050 compared to 2010, al- Alfred de Vries of the Gates Foundation on stage at the Hubbard Premium
most 900 million more people. And due Forum 2025
to increased incomes and urbanisation Through a growing network of local
the demand for livestock products will breeders and hatcheries the production
almost triple. In this region most ani- of day-old chick production can be in-
mals are kept in extensive small-scale creased while building links to brooder
systems with limited access to quality units and small-scale farmers. For this
inputs. Investments in productivity is purpose, the Gates Foundation and Hub-
the primary lever to improve afford- bard have recently initiated some proj-
ability of meat and eggs. Therefore, the ects, using the Hubbard Premium Dual
main focus at this moment is on using Purpose breeds. Because: “A CHICKEN
the right breeds for dual purpose use CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!”
to increase productivity and resilience.
A good example of such a project was
presented by Ebenezer Kofi Yeboah of
the WAFAD Group from Ghana. Through
the “CHICKEN4U” project, based on
a cooperative model, in 16 regions of
Ghana WAFAD will deliver dual-pur-
pose chicks, quality feed, technical sup-
port, and market access to more than
2,000 rural farmers, fostering self-suf-
ficiency and boosting rural incomes.
They are providing farmers, youth, and
women with practical skills, digital tools,
and entrepreneurship opportunities to
drive agricultural transformation across
Ghana and the wider region. Through
a network of "Mother Unit Operators"
(MUOs), WAFAD will place small flocks
of Hubbard Premium chicks and sell the
chickens at 4–5 weeks of age to local
smallholder farmers, who will then raise
Ebenezer Kofi Yeboah of the WAFAD Group during his presentation at the the birds to maturity in backyards, free-
Hubbard Premium Forum 2025 range systems, or small poultry farms.
Circle 37 on enquiry card
26 Vol. 41 No. 7