Edo state To Empower 500,000 Poultry Farmers

Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki said his administration, in collaboration with Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited and Heifer International, will empower 500,000 smallholder poultry farmers.

He disclosed this during the ground breaking ceremony of the Heifer-supported 10,000 per day Amo Farm Poultry Processing Plant at Obayantor in Ikpoba-Okha LGA.

According to him, the state is ready to harness the potentials in poultry production to diversify the economy and eliminate unemployment in the state.

“Today we are putting a processing facility that will help hatch chickens so that farmers will come and buy, they will support them with feeds and other veterinary products.

“And once they have grown their chickens, they will buy back from the farmers and the farmers can go on with their normal jobs with this as a side business.

“Farmers no longer have to wait for Christmas or Easter to sell their chickens because there is already an existing market they can sell to.”

The Country Director of Heifer international, Rufus Idris, stated that the partnership was to support 200,000 farmers by 2025 and 500,000 farmers by 2030.

He also said that, the farmers would engage in the production of noiler and broiler chickens, while a private sector partner, Amo Farm, would guarantee sustainable off-take of the chickens produced by the farmers.

He explained that the initiative would impact about 500,000 farmers, create more than 850 jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities for youths and women.

“Under this partnership, Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited is to establish a standard poultry processing plant, starting with a 10,000 chicken per day capacity,” Idris said.

“Edo is known for its large number of smallholder poultry farmers who are constrained by poor market access for chickens produced due to absence of structured market and off-taker in the state.

“Nigeria consumes about 1.5 million tonnes of chicken annually, but only 30 per cent of that is produced locally.

“Nigeria’s poultry sector, a $4.2bn industry, is witnessing a rise in demand for poultry meat and egg driven by increasing population and urbanization.”

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Amo Farms, Ayoola Oduntan, represented by Alaba Yunusa Oduntan, said negotiations for the plant had been ongoing since 2017.

READ ALSO: Poultry farmers optimistic about sector’s 2023 growth