The National Agricultural Land Development Authority’s (NALDA) through its Home Grown Poultry Programme has supported 200 youth and women in Nasarawa State.
The scheme is targeted at empowering women and youth in Agribusiness, boosting their incomes and livelihood through sustainable agriculture while partnering with traditional leaders to reach genuine grassroots farmers.
The beneficiaries who were drowned from the various local governments of the state converged on the Emir’s Palace in Lafia, the state capital to receive free feeds, cages and birds as start up packages.
Each beneficiary received a 3 tier bird cage, 25 birds and 3 bags of feed that was enough to feed the birds till maturity.
The Executive Secretary of NALDA Prince Paul Ikonne who was represented by Engineer Olusegun Owolabi, the Head Engineering, in his remarks, said the project is a revolving one and the sustainability and continuity would be subject to the beneficiary’s commitment.
Ikonne further stated that the project would go a long way in curbing the importation of chicken into the country and also help save foreign exchange.
“We need to take over the business and ensure that we stop exporting jobs, for every product that we import we have exported our employment and for every local thing we consume, we created employment for someone, somewhere in the country.
“NALDA is out to sustain the total ban on importation of frozen chicken for the poultry industry to expand, reduce unemployment and boost the country’s economy by empowering the individual to upscale their poultry production, he said.
The NALDA boss urged the beneficiaries to follow the guidelines of training on how to handle the birds for maximum turnover.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional leaders present, the Emir of Lafia and the chairman of Nasarawa Council of Chiefs Justice Sidi Muhammed (Rtd) commended NALDA for believing in the traditional institution to assist facilitate and execute the project.
“We thank you for finding the traditional institution in the state worthy, using us as the conduit pipe for translating this programme into reality, you have taken the right decision.
“On behalf of the traditional rulers in the state, I want to say that we’ll do our best to justify this choice that you have made, the traditional ruler said.
The Royal Father added that Nasarawa State needs more of such intervention as he urged NALDA to beam its search light in the state as the state is an Agricultural hub.
One of the beneficiaries, Hajara Umar from Awe Local Government Area of the state, said the intervention would go a long in boosting her poultry business, particularly in the area of feed as the price of feed in the open market was quite high.
Another beneficiary, Jamila Haruna from Akwanga Local Government Area, said the intervention is of huge help to her as she can sell and restock to sustain the business.
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