Backyard Poultry Farmers and Avian Flu in Cambodia: A Baseline Survey

The Academy for Educational Development (AED), on behalf of USAID, is conducting behaviour change communications activities on avian influenza (avian flu or bird flu) in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The main group that the campaign is being designed for are rural backyard poultry farmers. To plan and assess the communication activities, AED is undertaking three successive surveys in each country. A PowerPoint presentation was created to share the findings of the survey in Cambodia.

The survey in Cambodia aimed to:

• constitute a KAP (knowledge/ attitudes/ practices) baseline of the rural backyard poultry farmers on prevention and containment of avian influenza (AI) - a set of research tools and parameters which can be repeatedly applied in order to monitor trends; and
• provide insights into Cambodian farmers’ culture, and derive strategies capable of influencing behavioural and cultural patterns to contain the spread of AI in the country.

The survey included face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire with rural backyard poultry farmers in two provinces between end November and early December 2005.

According to the profile, television is by and large the favoured medium. Radio listenership is higher in Kandal than in Pursat, and audiences vary accordingly. The research also found that economic reasons for actions, such as reasons for not keeping poultry caged, must be considered when developing the strategy. One third of those raising poultry don’t wash their hands, and over half don’t change clothes after coming into contact with the birds. This report proposes these behaviours as potential campaign objectives.

Conclusions:

• Sample - people have limited incomes, low education levels. It is mostly small flocks, and subsistence farming. Poultry is largely kept as a family food source.
• Poultry raising habits - in most cases, poultry roam free, ducks are not separate from chickens. Motivations are related to lack of resources (money mostly, and also space).
• Awareness of Avian Influenza - broadcast media are practically the only source of information. Knowledge of AI symptoms in poultry seems widespread - however, these symptoms are not AI-specific. There is slightly less widespread knowledge of human infection particularly in the Kandal areas which have not been affected by outbreaks. There is a high level of anxiety: AI is universally perceived as very dangerous for humans (as well as for poultry).
• Current practices - most measures potentially useful to prevent AI contagion among poultry imply some costs.
• Risk perceptions - on the whole, the sample is uncertain of the risk their poultry is facing but they are extremely worried.
• Past AI experience, expectations - not much more than 50% of the sample would expect compensation after culling. And the most likely sources for compensation are village and communal authorities.
• Communications - given the low income levels, it seems difficult to conduct an effective campaign to implement better prevention as far as poultry is concerned. And culling would probably be problematic as well. However, better safety measures for humans - insofar as they are comparatively cost-free - could form the object of a successful communication campaign.

To request the full PowerPoint presentation of this Topline report, please contact AED, details below.