Socioeconomic impacts of swiftlet ranching on local communities

Swiftlet ranching, the cultivation of swiftlets for the production of edible bird’s nests (EBN), has emerged as a growing economic activity in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Edible bird’s nests, often known as the “caviar of the East,” are prized for their nutritional and medicinal values and command high demand in international markets, especially in China. Globally, the industry generates billions of dollars annually, offering significant socioeconomic opportunities to local communities involved in this enterprise (Lim & Cranbrook, 2017).