Obaseki’s Agripreneur Initiative: 158 farmers get 125,000 day-old-chicks, feeds, vaccines, others to boost poultry production

As part of the commitment by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration to boosting food security in the state, 158 farmers have received 125,000 chicks, feeds and vaccines, among other support facilities, in the pilot phase of the Edo State Government’s poultry production scheme.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security Programme, Prince Joe Okojie, said the governor has made good his promise to the poultry farmers as 158 of them have benefited from the poultry production scheme, which is being run in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He said the distribution of the day-old-chicks, feeds, vaccines among other materials to the poultry farmers across 11 locations in the state marks the first phase of the Edo State Agripreneur Programme for Animal Husbandry.

Okojie said some of the farmers, who are grouped in clusters, received as much as 500 birds while others got about 1000 birds distributed according to the capacity of their pens.

He added that through the CBN’s Commercial Agriculture Credit (CAC) scheme, some of the farmers received loans at 9% interest rate to support their production, noting that the Edo State Agripreneur Programme has so far provided support to Fem Farms Cluster, Osaretin Cluster, Ubah Cluster, among others.

The Edo State Agriprenuer programme is being implemented by the Obaseki-led administration with support from the CBN and is aimed at ensuring food security and wealth creation in the state.

One of the beneficiaries and leader of Fem Farms Cluster, identified as Francis, said the state government supplied 1000 birds and other supports to 18 farmers who are members of his cluster, adding, “I have been in this business for about 28 years and this is the first time I am experiencing this kind of initiative by a government, which is laudable.”

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