A few years ago, there was an outbreak of bird flu in most parts of the world which spread like a wild fire. It left many birds and people dead.

In Africa, the magnitude of the disease was grave for poultry farmers whose businesses were forced to close by governments as a measure to curb the spread of the disease.

Currently, the world is faced with a similar problem of swine flu which attacks both pigs and humans. It may affect people involved in the pork industry just as bird flu did to one Patrick Mugisha’s poultry business.

Mugisha who started the poultry business in 1997 while working for a company which was dealing in poultry and animal feeds, narrates how bird flu brought his promising business to a premature death, when the government slapped a ban on the poultry farmers in a bid to curb the virus.

At the company, Mugisha had learned how to manufacture both layers and broilers feeds which they would supply to their customers. They would also supply them with one day old chicks.

"We supplied to our customers both feeds and chicks. They were our partners and bosses since they bought from us and at times we supplied them on credit. We would supply to the supermarkets as well,” said Mugisha.

He started his own business in 2005 dealing in the same line of trade but mainly specialising in animal feeds though partly rearing chicks.

"I would import the feeds nutrients from Uganda and Kenya, though some would be available here in Rwanda. The business was doing fine until the outbreak of the bird flu and all over a sudden, the ban was imposed on our business and we were completely phased out. Most of us if not all of us made a total loss,” he narrates the ordeal.

Mugisha had sunk between Rwf 3-5 million. This, he says was a huge sum of money for a small scale farmer like him. However, he says that the market demand was so high that the money would not guarantee him a large business to satisfy the high demand at the time.

"The business was promising and I would earn between Rwf 600,000 to 800,000 per month which was relatively good money for me and to keep my business running.”

He adds; "These proceeds would be realised during those seasons when the animal feeds raw materials were readily available and they were not so expensive especially during the harvest seasons.”

His average poultry would keep 500 broilers. These take little time to mature hence realising profits quickly and because of the limited space he reared 300 layers.

"Although there was no bird flu case that was reported in Rwanda, it left many of us jobless with huge losses suffered. Though the ban was lifted, it is not easy to pick up the pieces due to financial constraints even when I still have all the facilities and the skills to rear chickens,” laments Mugisha.  

Mugisha who was employing up to 8 people who also lost their jobs as a result, says that the government should provide support to small scale entrepreneurs, who are government partners in the economic development of the country.

He adds that he does not feel comfortable doing any other business. He has some piece of advice to the people engaged in small scale business.

"They should be prepared for the unpredictable outbreaks especially people who are now engaged in piggery with swine flu on the rampage. They do not know what might happen any time,” warns the former farmer .

He has enrolled in one of the leading business schools in the country to polish his business acumen, before he makes a come back into the poultry industry since he won’t join any other business even when he graduates.

Ends