Effect of Coping Strategies of Rising Feed Costs on Poultry Farmers’ Technical Efficiency in South-west Nigeria

Background: The rising feed cost is a major challenge in Nigeria’s poultry industry. It impacts production costs and threatens the industry’s sustainability as well as poultry farmers welfare. Implementing effective coping strategies is crucial for poultry farmers to maintain profitability by optimizing resource allocation. This study therefore examined the effect of coping strategies of rising feed costs on poultry farmers technical efficiency in South-West, Nigeria. Methods: The study employed a quantitative research approach using a survey research design. Multistage sampling procedures were used to select three states (Lagos, Ogun and Oyo) from the South-West zone in Nigeria. In the second stage, 575 poultry farmers from all Poultry Association of Nigeria zones were selected using simple random sampling technique. Data on production activities of poultry farms were collected from the farmers using structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed with the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: The results of the study showed that the adopted strategies used by the farmers were use of finished feed (UFF), mixed farming (MF), downsizing of flock size (DFS), no change of strategies (NCS), verge of exiting the venture (VEV). Of the poultry farmers, 48.00% adopted MF to cope with the rising feed cost while 24.70%, 16.10%, 6.20%, 5.20% adopted UFF, DFS, VEV and NCS, respectively. The study, therefore concluded that mixed farming as a coping strategy enhances the poultry farmers’ efficiency, it is therefore recommended that the poultry farmers should engage in mixed farming as a coping strategy to rising feed costs.