CAGRI unveils new poultry system at Agrofest

A new climate-smart poultry system unveiled at Agrofest is being promoted as a practical tool to help strengthen food security and reduce household grocery costs.

The landless farming solution, known as the D-Frame Layer Cage System, allows families to produce eggs at home, even in small backyard spaces. The initiative was developed by the Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAGRI) at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus.

The launch comes amid recent fluctuations in the local egg market.

CAGRI said the vertical, tiered cage system provides an alternative for households seeking greater independence, including from such market disruptions. Its compact design maximises production in limited spaces while enabling users to produce fresh eggs at a lower cost.

Director of CAGRI Dr Michele Singh described the system as a step towards greater food resilience and self-sufficiency.

She noted that the model also supports sustainable practices by allowing households to repurpose kitchen scraps as supplemental feed, reducing waste while supporting small-scale egg production.

Beyond household use, the initiative is expected to create economic opportunities. CAGRI said local artisans and entrepreneurs could benefit from building and distributing the cages, contributing to regional efforts under the “25 by 2030” initiative to reduce food import dependence.

The centre has been staging live demonstrations of the system at Agrofest, giving patrons an opportunity to see how the technology can be used to support home food production and sustainable agriculture. (PR/BT)