The President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan, along with other top government functionaries, has commissioned a poultry hatchery farm estate in Yobe state built by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA).
The hatchery, which houses 10 poultry pens has a capacity of 30,000.
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It is expected to produce about 250,000 noilers annually for sales, generating an estimated N8 million monthly from sales of day-old chicks.
Located at Gasamu, Jakusko local government area in Yobe State, the farm estate has 30 youth who are the direct beneficiaries, to manage the birds in a one-person for 1000 birds’ arrangement.
The project would be managed by Prime Farm to manage the farm estate, while Jaiz Bank and other banks will be its financial partners.
The Senate President expressed optimism that the farm estate will project the name of the community, and cause the establishment of poultries around the local government and the state.
“Because of this project, Gasamu will be prominently shown in the Nigerian map, and this is something that is very important to us as a community.
“That means we are going to have poultry farms coming up across this zone, particularly in Jakusko local government”, he said.
Speaking at the commissioning during the weekend, the Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, the farm “is like a reproduction centre that will be producing our locally improved birds that will be distributed across the country in order to encourage our local breeds and maintain our old stocks”.
“This farm has a capacity of generating 850 crates of eggs daily and generating N1.1 million daily from the sales of the eggs only.
“And these eggs will also be incubated as we have an incubation centre here in order to produce day-old chicks that will be sent to other poultry houses across the country.
“Annually, we are expecting to have not less than N400 million generated from this farm”, Prince Ikonne noted.
He explained that the incubation centre will produce the parent stock which will lay eggs for the production of day-old noilers for sales, with the production capacity of 250,000 annually, while the 30,000 birds will be used for egg and meat production for the 30 benefiting farmers.
“The youths from this immediate community are the first set of beneficiaries which we believe will engage them meaningfully as they will be making their money from this centre.
“NALDA integrated farm estates are meant to empower the community, to develop the land within the community, empower the youth, create employment and reduce hunger in our land.
“The firm that will manage this farm (Prime Farm) are already on ground, and we work with Jaiz bank and other banks as our bankers in order to make sure that this project is sustained,” Ikonne said.
The Governor of Yobe State, Mai-Mala Buni, in his address, said the project is the first of its kind in the state.
Governor Buni who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Baba Wali, urged NALDA and the beneficiaries to ensure the success of the centre in line with the state’s objective of introducing new ideas for effective production.
“I commend NALDA for establishing the centre which I consider a remarkable complementary effort of the present administration towards the revitalization of agriculture for prosperity and a stronger nation.
“I want to use this opportunity to tell you that we are ready to cooperate with NALDA to ensure that this project is sustained”, the governor added.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Muhammed Abubakar, said the project is a fulfilment of the aspiration and promise of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Represented by the Executive Secretary of Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Professor Garba Sharubutu, the minister assured the Senate President of the commitment of the Ministry to partner him and NALDA in order to improve the livelihood of rural communities.
“As a ministry, we challenge the state government, the local government, the traditional rulers to ensure that this project is not abandoned, that this project should be protected”, the Minister added.
