Assessment of bio-security knowledge, attitude and hygienic practices among smallholder chicken farmers in Southern Mozambique
| dc.contributor.author | Mugabe, Noémia André | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kussaga, Jamal | |
| dc.contributor.author | Issa-Zacharia, Abdulsudi | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-06-03T15:23:53Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-06-03T15:23:53Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description | African Journal of Food Science pp. 113-133 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The production of broiler chickens in intensive systems struggles to maintain hygiene in production, despite contributing to combating malnutrition, generating employment, and increasing family income, especially in developing countries. Using a structured questionnaire survey, a cross-sectional study was carried out among 395 smallholder farmers to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to farm biosecurity in urban and peri-urban areas of Mozambique and determine the factors affecting KAP (knowledge, attitude, and practice) levels. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) (IBM version 27). The findings indicate that education level and training significantly influence (p < 0.001) food safety in terms of biosecurity knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Smallholders who attended food safety training exhibited positive attitudes (95.5%, mean score of 89.71 ± 10.1) in contrast to those who did not participate in training (74.8%, mean score of 79.91 ± 9.68). Additionally, washing hands with soap before and after using the toilet and wearing protective clothing during chicken husbandry were significantly associated with education level (χ² = 15.345, P = 0.018); those with informal education were 34% less likely to have a negative attitude toward food safety compared to those with high education. A significant correlation (p < 0.01) was observed between residence area, training, and biosecurity knowledge, attitude, and practice. Because smallholders lack training, hygiene expertise, and biosecurity practices on their farms, this study concluded that they pose a risk to public health and food safety. To maintain consumer health and guarantee food safety, farmers should properly dispose of waste, including dead chickens, and receive continuous training in excellent biosecurity measures on the farm. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | PASET through the RSIF and CCNY | |
| dc.identifier.citation | http://www.academicjournals.org/AJFS | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 1996-0794 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7642 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Academic Journal | |
| dc.subject | Broiler chickens | |
| dc.subject | Smallholder farmers | |
| dc.subject | Food safety | |
| dc.subject | KAP | |
| dc.subject | Biosecurity | |
| dc.title | Assessment of bio-security knowledge, attitude and hygienic practices among smallholder chicken farmers in Southern Mozambique | |
| dc.type | Article |