ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Government has flagged off training program on poultry production for poultry farmers in the state in the pursuit of a Stronger Delta with a self-sustaining economy.
The program was organised under the aegis of the Poultry Farmers Support Program of the Delta State Government, an extension of the Broiler Outgrower Scheme which started in 2018.
It was gathered that the programme is aimed at promoting sustainable poultry production and integrating small-scale poultry farmers into the mainstream value chain by facilitating access to inputs and credit among others.
Declaring the program open, the Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Julius Egbedi, said that the program was part of a series of programs initiated by the government to diversify the economy of the state, provide massive job creation and create opportunities for entrepreneurs.
The commissioner recalled that the government had approved several livestock development projects in the state amongst which is the ongoing Pig Multiplication and Farmer Support Program which has created over 60 direct jobs and is set to produce over one hundred and twenty metric tons of pork per year.
He further revealed that a new program on Commercial Snail and Grasscutter farming is running concurrently with the Poultry Farmers Support Program, for the year 2020, of which fifty farmers were trained with plans underway for the release of credit to enable them setup their snail farms.
He also said that credit support would be provided for poultry farmers and repayment would be over a period of 30 months inclusive of a moratorium period of three to twelve months depending on the enterprise.
While congratulating the participants on meeting the selection requirements of the program, he called on them to participate actively in the training session, stressing that the information to be shared is key to the success of their business and the program in its entirety.
Speaking also, the program facilitator, Dr. Okpara Oghenesuvwe, lauded the state government for the initiative, saying it was a right step in the right direction which if sustained would greatly reduce unemployment in the state as well as strengthen the state’s economy.
One of the participants, Mr. Christopher Aghuno, speaking on behalf of the other participants, thanked the state government for the opportunity to be a beneficiary of the program and promised that they would apply all that they would be taught in their enterprises so as to achieve the objectives the program.
