The continuous decrease in cultivable land and land holding pattern is making agricultural enterprises less economical. Keeping this point in view the present study was conducted to develop suitable model(s) of rural poultry production based on semi-range system. A total of 907 farmers, out of 5,250 families in 65 villages, were given the chicks for evaluation studies and 34 families were monitored for impact. Chicks of dual purpose strain, Nirbhik, developed by Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar were provided in the batches of 250-300 per farmer. They were fed with azolla based feeding practices by keeping in shelters according to the model I in this study. Some farmers adapted the birds under open range system, either out of fancy or for subsidiary income, in the strength of 20-30 chicks. Some farmers in the group of the 34 monitored families, upgraded and opened small broiler unit from the income generated and reared batches of 300-500 broiler chicks, side by side. The profitability was assessed on the basis of data provided by them. The cost of small shelter constructed by the farmers varied between Rs. 800-1,500/-. The lowest cost realized from the sale of birds on live weight basis in summer month of 2010 was Rs. 85/ kg and highest during winter of 2010-11 i.e. Rs. 160/ kg. The market rates varied between Rs. 100-150/ kg live weight which is about 10-15 % higher than the broiler. The net profit per bird varied between Rs. 100-125/- and the batch of 250 chicks fetched net profit of Rs. 23,000-30,000/-. The net profit from the broiler units varied between Rs. 6-9/ per chicks. Even the disease problem by this particular system of rearing was found to be negligible. The evaluation of profitability among the system i.e. small broiler unit, model-1 and open range system clearly evidenced a much higher profitability in the present model. A unit of 500 broiler chicks can produce net profit of Rs. 20,000- 35,000/- in 5 cycles while in the present model, it can cross Rs. 90,000/- in a year. In open range system, profitability could not be ascertained clearly as the birds were ether consumed by the families or sold as per the need and no pattern was followed. Model-1 thus provides resource generation, self-employment, livelihood security and poverty alleviation as a whole and rural poultry has been established as the best tool for poverty alleviation.
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