Poultry farm waste management practices: Environmental challenges, health concerns, and farmers’ perspectives in Chattogram, Bangladesh

Poultry farming in Bangladesh involves raising birds mainly for meat and eggs. Poultry industry produce huge waste and causes environmental pollution. This study was commenced to investigate knowledge, perception, and attitudes toward waste management practices related to environmental Pollution and Public Health safety among poultry farmers. A well-structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 35 randomly selected commercial poultry farms. The data revealed that 46% of farmers are between (30-39) years, 69% of farmers are married, and the education level of farmers is average. 71% of farmers rear broilers due to their high growth rate. 54% of farmers preferred semi-paka houses and rear poultry on concrete floors (74%). Farmers using litter materials such as sawdust 77%, and 60% of farmers changed litter materials in 30 days intervals. Biosecurity practice in this area was fair level (66%). Around 65% of farmers dispose of dead birds through burial. Around 69% of farmers throw litter materials on agricultural land. The majority of farmers were aware of the risk of human disease (97%), water pollution (94%), and air pollution (97%) from poultry wastes. A small percentage of farmers received training on farm management (14%), waste management, and Biosecurity (9%). Not a single farmer had waste management facilities such as pit’s flush system, manure storage system, box type manure storage and zero percent of farmers were aware of the Environmental Protection Act. Perception of farmers on environmental issues associated with farming such as flies, noise problems, water pollution, gas production, etc. was high. Constraints to the adaptation of integrated waste management practices such as insufficient funds, shortage of labor, manure price, vehicle facilities, and waste disposal facilities were not severe.