The Kwara Government has called on poultry farmers to adhere strictly to best practices guiding the poultry business in the country and globally.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mallam AbdulLateef Alakawa, gave the task in Ilorin at the opening ceremony of a 2-day training programme.
The programme was organised by the Kwara Agricultural Development Project (KWADP) in conjunction with the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension for 30 Small Holder Poultry Farmers on best Practices and Management of Poultry Business.
The commissioner urged the trainees to maximise the opportunities of the training to improve the quality of poultry production in the state and the country at large.
Alakawa noted that the livestock sub-sector was one of the major priorities of the present administration in view of its economic importance to the state government’s revenue drive and means of empowering youths and women.
“In order to build a prosperous Kwara, our amiable governor has prioritised agriculture and demonstrated this in the past three years.
“This is through his various interventions in crop farming with the distribution of highly subsidised farm inputs, distribution of small ruminant goats, fingerlings and feed to aquaculture farmers.
“This was done through the State FADAMA-NG CARES Programme and Noiler Chicken Initiative for Rural Women, among other empowerment programmes,” the commissioner said.
He commended the collaborative roles of the Kwara ADP and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in boosting and promoting poultry business in Kwara.
The Director, Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services, Mr Frank Kudla, explained that the programme was recommended by the Special Technical Committee established by the minister of agriculture and rural development.
He noted that the aim was to develop a workable framework to train 30 poultry farmers in the state.
Kudla, who was represented by the Head of Administration, Extension Department, Mr Ibrahim Oguche, listed some of the major factors affecting poultry farming in the country.
According to him, the factors include lack of interest of farmers, low quality training and lack of funding for the sub-sector.
He added that the training was designed to empower participants with skills and tools needed for poultry business.
In her welcome address, the General Manager, Kwara ADP, Dr Khadijat Alege, disclosed that the training programme was one of the series of trainings lined up for poultry farmers in the state.
Alege also appreciated both the Kwara government and the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development for their support in seamless execution of the ADP’s projects and programmes.