Stories
October 9, 2025 • 2 min read
In the Babile District East Hararghe Zone of Ethiopia, a local group of chicken’s growers once faced significant hurdles in providing day-old chicks to their community. Limited by resources and capacity, their impact was minimal until support arrived through GOAL’s CRS leaded and US-funded Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA-IFAA) initiative. With essential equipment, technical assistance, and business linkages, the group rapidly scaled its sale, creating a growing ripple of economic and nutritional benefits.
In Babile District, East Hararghe Zone, a group of ambitious local chicken farmers established the Tokuma Day-Old Chicken Growers Association, sharing a vision to serve their community. Their goal is to provide both a reliable source of food and an income opportunity.
Despite their dedication, the group faced significant challenges. Limited access to essential equipment, weak business networks, and insufficient technical knowledge hindered their ability to sustain operations and respond to growing local demand. While their efforts were commendable, the association remained small-scale, struggling to achieve meaningful growth and broader community impact.
Limited Capacity and Lost Potential
Tokuma’s members were supplying a few hundred to a thousand chicks at a time, nowhere near the volume needed by local farmers. As Abdi Farah, the business’s manager, shared, “When we started the business, there were a lot of challenges, especially concerning water and access to market linkages.” Inconsistent access to clean water, a lack of heating and transportation systems, and the absence of structured business development support hindered their ability to scale. The group was unable to meet demand or provide quality service, and the local community continued to suffer from a shortage of affordable, locally grown poultry.
GOAL’s Support and the Impact of Transformation
Everything changed when Tokuma partnered with GOAL through the RFSA-IFAA project. GOAL delivered a package of support tailored to the group’s needs. This included a 3,000-litre water tanker, a heating lamp, a Light lamp and pullet transporting crates to ensure the safe delivery of the chicks. The team also received feeders, drinkers, and, most importantly, technical guidance and business development training, resulting in a dramatic transformation.
Turning Support into Success
Abdi noted, “GOAL didn’t just give us materials, it’s team helped build our business. Through setting up bazars and other platforms for networking, we got connected with many buyers.” With strengthened business linkages and improved operational systems, the group quickly scaled its operation from 1,000 to 8,000 day-old chickens and is now reaching up to 20,000 through rounds of production and distribution to the local community at a reasonable price.
“Nothing makes us prouder than seeing the partners that we empowered become successful. It had its ups and downs, but the outcome is satisfying for both businesses and the community, which now have access to affordable and improved breed pullets. This will positively affect their nutrition and income. We are grateful for the funding from the American people and the coordination support from the consortium lead, CRS” Fasil Nega, GOAL’s Senior Production and Marketing Officer for RFSA project.
