Over 100 Constituents who were shortlisted for the National Agricultural Land Development Authority(NALDA)Home Growing Poultry Empowerment Scheme, facilitated by Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, FCA, on Sunday in Ikorodu received fully vaccinated Chickens, feeds and cages to kickstart their poultry businesses.
The aspiring entrepreneurs numbering over 100 were also trained by experts on how to nurture birds, reduce mortality and make it big in the poultry business. NALDA’s mandate is to develop rural communities through agriculture and to make agriculture a sustainable business and means of wealth creation for the country.
This initiative falls under the Facilitations/Empowerment pillar of the legislative agenda of the Senator. Like other programmes of the Senator, the Home Growing Poultry Scheme is expected to provide succour to beneficiaries during this challenging period.
mandate of developing rural communities through agriculture and to make agriculture a bus cIn his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer/ Executive Secretary, Prince Paul Ikonne, represented by Engr. Olusegun Owolabi said the partnership with Senator Abiru is in pursuant with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on agriculture development and food security.
He said, “ We are here this morning to execute one of the NALDA programmes, popularly known as “ Home Growing Poultry Empowerment Scheme”which focused on training of youth and women in keeping poultry birds and empowering them with cages and chickens, feeds as a revolving project, subject to their commitment. The scheme is aimed at: economic empowerment of citizens, addressing problems of shortages of protein ,safe foreign exchange and guarantee quality and safe protein supply”.
Mr. Enitan Olukotun, the media aide to Senator Abiru, who represented him at the event, extolled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his visionary leadership, and the NALDA leadership for the partnership and support for livestock farmers in Lagos East Senatorial District.
Olukokun reeled out an impressive scorecard of Senator Abiru in the areas of Agric, support for MSMEs, facilitation of construction of schools, mini-stadium, markets, electricity transformers, road construction and rehabilitation, water projects across the entire Senatorial district. He recalled that in June 2022 in Epe Local Government, Senator Abiru provided hand planters and grants to over 200 rural farmers and also empowered over 1,250 market women. “In the same manner, over 700 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) owners, benefitted from the SMEDAN MSMEs Grants he facilitated to business owners”, he added.
The Senator Media aide also urged parents to encourage their wards to avail themselves of the life transforming opportunities at the iconic SAIL Innovation Lab, founded by Senator Abiru and his amiable wife, Mrs Feyisola. He hinted that recently over 100 youth who trained at the Innovation Lab got well-paid artificial intelligence jobs with Awari AI.
Beneficiaries of the Home Growing Poultry Scheme expressed gratitude to Senator Abiru for fulfilling promises he made to them. Mariam Olatoyosi, one of the beneficiaries expressed deep appreciation to Senator Abiru and NALDA for the support they have provided for farmers. She believed that the birds , feed and cages provided will go a long way in supporting her business.
Oladejo Oluwaseun, a farmer from Epe Local Government, said ” this initiative will help the people to tackle poverty. We thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, NALDA and Senator Tokunbo Abiru for this great support at this challenging economic period”.
“ This is a great initiative from NALDA, Senator Tokunbo Abiru. This is a great way to start. The facilitators that trained us here today have been very helpful. From what we have learnt today, I am confident that we will do well in the business. I want to appeal to the Senator to help us with more agric opportunities. I am also calling on the youth to join the agriculture team, it is a good one and you will never regret it” Adesina Oluwafemi, a farmer from Ikorodu said.
