The Nationaal Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has provided poultry materials to about 200 women and youths in Nasarawa state.
The scheme under the NALDA Home Grown Poultry Programme is aimed at empowering the indigenes of the state in agribusiness as well as boosting their incomes and livelihood through sustainable agriculture.
The program implemented in partnership with traditional leaders to reach genuine grassroots farmers, had each beneficiary getting a three-tier bird cage, 25 birds, and three bags of feeds, enough to feed the birds till maturity.
The Executive Secretary of NALDA Paul Ikonne during the handing over of the poultry materials at the palace of Emir of Lafia, the state capital revealed that the beneficiaries were drawn from across the states.
While mentioning that the aim was to reduce the importation of poultry and poultry products into the country, the ES explained that the project is revolving and that the commitment of the beneficiaries would determine its sustainability
The ES who was represented by the Head of Engineering, Engineer Owolabi said “ We need to take over the business and ensure that 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 urged the beneficiaries to pay attention to the training and guidance 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) appreciated NALDA for trusting and believing in the traditional institution to help facilitate and execute the project.
According to him, the traditional leaders in the state would work with the NALDA team to ensure the success of the project in the state.
“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.”
He added that Nasarawa State needs more of such intervention while asking 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, who could not hide her excitement 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.
So far, NALDA has carried out the Home Grown Poultry Programme in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Nasarawa state, with plans to expand to other states of the federation.
