book chapter · IntechOpen eBooks
Domestic chickens are vital for global food security, rural livelihoods, and cultural traditions. Originating 8,000 to 10,000 years ago in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent from several junglefowl species, chickens entered Africa via two primary routes: the Mediterranean through Egypt around 300 BC, and Indian Ocean maritime networks in the first millennium AD. Subsequent inland movement was driven by trans-Saharan trade, Bantu migrations, and regional networks. Genetic analyses show multiple maternal haplogroups and extensive admixture from repeated introductions. Consequently, African indigenous chickens developed significant diversity and vital local adaptations, including heat tolerance, disease resistance, and scavenging efficiency in low-input farming systems. Preserving and strategically using these indigenous genetic resources through combined genomic, archaeological, and ethnographic approaches is crucial to support sustainable poultry breeding and resilience against shifting climates and economic conditions.
Understanding how indigenous chickens adapted to diverse African environments over centuries highlights the value of their unique traits. As climate change accelerates and low-input farming remains central to rural communities, these resilient genetic traits are vital for breeding livestock that can withstand heat and disease, ultimately strengthening food security and local livelihoods.
This early-stage research provides foundational insights for poultry breeders and commercial genetics programmes. By identifying genetic resources associated with heat tolerance, scavenging efficiency, and disease resistance, the work can inform targeted breeding strategies for low-input production systems. Real-world application depends on further applied genomic mapping and breeding programmes to translate these indigenous traits into commercially viable, highly resilient poultry stocks.
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The domestic chicken is one of the most widely distributed and socio-economically important livestock species globally, contributing significantly to food security, rural livelihoods, and cultural practices. Its domestication, estimated to have occurred 8,000–10,000 years ago in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, involved multiple events and contributions from several junglefowl species, notably the Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus), with additional genetic inputs from Gray Junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii), Ceylon Junglefowl (Gallus lafayetii), and Green Junglefowl (Gallus varius). This chapter synthesizes archaeological, genetic, and historical evidence to reconstruct the origin and dispersal of domestic chickens into Africa. Evidence indicates that chickens were introduced into Africa through two major routes: the Mediterranean pathway via Egypt around 300 BC and the Indian Ocean maritime network during the 1st millennium AD. These introductions were followed by extensive inland dispersal facilitated by trans-Saharan trade, Bantu migrations, and regional exchange systems. Molecular studies, including mtDNA and nuclear markers, reveal multiple maternal haplogroups and extensive genetic admixture, reflecting repeated introductions and complex demographic history. African indigenous chickens have since evolved into highly diverse and locally adapted populations, exhibiting important traits such as disease resistance, heat tolerance, and efficient scavenging ability, which are essential for survival under low-input production systems. These populations represent a critical genetic resource for sustainable poultry development. The chapter emphasizes the urgent need for conservation and strategic utilization of these genetic resources through integrated approaches that combine genomics, archaeology, and ethnography. Such efforts are essential for improving productivity, resilience, and food security under evolving climatic and socio-economic challenges.
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DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.1016956
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