The National Agricultural Land Development Authority’s (NALDA) has revealed that its Home Grown Poultry Programme would go a long way in curbing the importation of chicken into the country and also help save foreign exchange.
This is even as NALDA empowers under the Home Grown Poultry Programme has empowered 200 youth and women in Nasarawa State North Central Nigeria with poultry birds and input.
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 three bags of feed, three tier bird cages and 25 birds each as startup packages.
The scheme aims to empower women and youth in Agribusiness and boost their incomes and livelihood through sustainable agriculture while partnering with traditional leaders to reach genuine grassroots farmers.
In his remark, the Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, who was represented by the Head Engineering, Engr Olusegun Owolabi, said the project is a revolving one and the sustainability and continuity would be subject to beneficiary’s commitment.
Engr Owolabi said 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 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.
He assured traditional leaders in the state would work with the agency to ensure success of the project, urging the agency go make the state an agricultural hub
