De Heus, partners launch precision poultry farming project for independent farmers in India

INDIA – De Heus Animal Nutrition India and its partners have broken ground on a new state-of-the-art broiler farm under the Precision Feeding & Farming for Independent Farmers in India (PFFI) initiative, a project developed through the Dutch government-backed RVO Cluster Programme.

The project aims to introduce data-driven poultry farming technologies and precision feeding systems to independent poultry farmers in India, helping improve productivity, farm management and sustainability. 

The initiative brings together De Heus, VDL Agrotech B.V., Royal Pas Reform, and local poultry sector partners, including Manreet Hatchery, to develop a modern broiler farming model tailored to Indian production conditions. 

According to De Heus, the project aims to empower farmers through smarter farming systems that combine automation, precision nutrition, and real-time production monitoring.

The PFFI programme comes as India’s poultry sector continues to modernise rapidly in response to rising protein demand, increasing production costs and growing pressure to improve feed efficiency and animal performance.

Focus on precision feeding and smart farm management

The new broiler farm is expected to demonstrate technologies linked to precision feeding and precision farming, approaches increasingly being adopted globally to improve feed conversion, reduce waste and optimise bird performance.

Precision poultry systems typically integrate automated feeding technologies, climate monitoring, farm sensors and data analytics to help producers make faster management decisions and improve operational efficiency. 

Research into smart agriculture technologies has shown growing adoption of AI, Internet of Things (IoT) systems and digital monitoring tools across livestock farming as producers seek better productivity and resource efficiency. 

Industry stakeholders say such technologies could become increasingly important in India, where independent poultry farmers often face challenges linked to feed costs, disease management and inconsistent farm performance.

The RVO Cluster Programme, supported by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, promotes international agricultural partnerships focused on sustainable farming innovation and knowledge transfer.

The latest project also strengthens De Heus’ long-term expansion strategy in India. 

The company recently commissioned a new feed production facility in Rajpura, Punjab, as part of broader investments across India, Kenya and Uganda aimed at supporting local livestock production with high-quality feed and technical support services. 

De Heus said the PFFI initiative represents another step in “powering progress” for Indian poultry farming by helping independent farmers access advanced production technologies and more efficient farming systems.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.