Backyard egg production 
Even though the egg production at national level has been increasing consistently at a growth percentage of 6.2%, in Kerala the statistics share an entirely different trend. As per the economic review published by the State Planning board, Thiruvananthapuram the total egg production in the State was at 2.23 billion eggs in the year 2012-13 and then continued to rise over the period and reached at 2.50 billion eggs in the year 2014-15. Since then, it declined to 2.44 billion in 2015-16 and further to 2.34 billion in 2016-17. Kerala ranks 9th among States of India in egg production. Per capita availability of egg had increased till 2014-15 to reach 70 numbers per annum. It has fallen to 67 in 2015-16 and further to 64 in 2016-17.

 

As per the Indian Council of Medical Research recommendations the average per capita egg consumption should be 180 in adults and 90 in children. As per KEPCO the current gap in requirement is met by importing from other states. Their opinion is that commercial poultry production is not feasible, and the only alternative is backyard poultry production. Backyard poultry production is the foundation on which the production of Janova eggs is being conceptualised.
At present there are a lot of Kudumbashree beneficiaries who are involved in the process of poultry layer farming. However, they do not have a channel through which they can move the produce. Most of the time the produce is utilized in their area for a loss or the produce gets expired which results into complete loss.

 

Kudumbashree in backyard poultry programme
The Muttagramam (Backyard Poultry) Project is an indigenous bird rearing initiative being implemented in Kerala. Kudumbashree will provide capital subsidy of 25000 to the group to establish Backyard Poultry unit. The group consists of 5 members and each beneficiary will be rearing 20 birds. Kudumbashree has also introduced packed backyard poultry egg in the name of ‘Janova’in all District.