The datasets are based on outcomes of the Qualtrics surveys, data from Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) and fieldwork conducted during my PhD at the University of New England. The background is that most rural communities in Zambia depend on agriculture and production of small livestock such as indigenous chickens (Gallus Domesticus) for their livelihoods. Innovations targeting such communities require an understanding of the prevailing environmental, social-cultural, and agricultural production systems and conditions. To contextualise these communities, we collected demographic, social economic and other essential data through a Qualtrics survey. The survey was a more appropriate and feasible data collection method during the COVID-19 period. The Human Research Ethics approval (HE21-052} was granted on 19/05/2021. Appropriate training of enumerators, field tests, data collection, and data verification were done accordingly. The study complied with the requirements of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock also authorised the survey.

We surveyed 368 households in 15 districts and 18 veterinary camps through a random cluster sampling of which 358 data were valid: Eastern livelihood zone (N=158), Central (N=100), and Southern (N=100). Further, the PAZ granted express permit to enable us analyse market data for the first quarters of 2016 through to 2023.

Therefore, the data sets include the verified original survey data and associated syntaxes for processing the Qualtrics survey data in SPSS.

The main and specific objectives are:
1. To investigate the socioeconomic status of small-scale farmers producing indigenous chickens in Zambia.
2. To determine the main challenges faced by small-scale producers of indigenous chickens.
3. To facilitate researcher-community-stakeholders’ linkages and establish community-based interventions in selected communities in Zambia.
4. To enhance rural livelihoods through improved production and marketing of indigenous chickens.

The following were the specific objectives for the project:
i. To implement the most economical and safest methods of data collection involving humans during the COVID-19 pandemic era.
ii. To identify the motivations for raising indigenous chickens in Zambia
iii. To determine the main hindrances in the production and marketing of indigenous chickens by small-scale farmers.
iv. To evaluate the sustainable livelihoods for small-scale farmers in the study sites.
v. To enhance social-economic gains for small-scale households producing indigenous chickens.
vi. To assess the impact of the increased cost of producing commercial broilers and layer on the indigenous chicken sector in Zambia.
vii. To evaluate the status of indigenous chicken breeds in Zambia.
viii. To promote sustainable use and conservation of indigenous chicken breeds in Zambia.
ix. To evaluate farmers' perspectives on the short-term impacts of COVID-19 on rural poultry farming in selected districts.
x. To report and reflect on the findings of the short-term market intervention implemented in Zambia.