African village economics

[Rimback]

I am trying to think through the idea of using SD models to facilitate management of the micro-economy of remote African villages. I know of one case where micro chicken farms (eggs and broilers) are working successfully to help feed hungry kids. Goat milk and other products are being added to the mix. They are even talking about exporting (to surrounding villages at least).

In another area small laptop-equipped class rooms running on solar power are in existence (electric power is non-existent). Other elements in addition to the food supply and education are the water supply, health issues, population changes and statistics (50% of the people are 15 and under), housing, financial considerations, regional politics, tribal wars, markets, etc. Behavior-over-time is complex even on such of a small scale relative to U.S. standards.

For an opener, I put the attached broiler chicken production model together. A small number of breeder chickens can provide a lot of protein (‘broilers killed’). Relationships with the other functions listed above are obvious.

The following assumptions are internal to the Broiler Production model:
Breeders have a useful lifetime of 10 months (at which time they are slaughtered and added to broiler production)
Breeders produce 140 chicks in that 10 months
Broilers reach maturity and are optimally slaughtered at 1.5 months

Missionaries working in these villages have accomplished much already. SD may help with replication of their efforts. Many have been employed in the U.S. corporate world before going to Africa and are technically competent

Does anyone know of existing models with a similar objective? Any comments about the broiler model or general feasibility and usefulness of SD in this environment would be appreciated?

Joe Rimback
Gaithersburg, MD
design@rcn.com
240-994-4180 (cell)

[Rimback]

This reply is to add the Breeder9.mdl (hopefully attached) which was referenced in the original post.

Joe Rimback