Ogun State Government has disclosed that it is reviving its moribund Poultry facilities in order to expand Poultry farming and further maintain the enviable position as the largest producer of eggs in Nigeria as well as the first in the Poultry Value chain industry.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina, who made the disclosure while playing host to the newly constituted Executive Council of the Ogun State Chapter of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), said the move will assist in its food security as well as job creation drive.
He submitted that the move, together with the planned replication of its Broiler Project across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state has been applauded by stakeholders.
“We have been meeting with stakeholders in poultry value-chain activities and we will continue to do the needful to strengthen the industry. The State Government is ready to revive all moribund poultry facilities across the state in order to replicate broiler projects in all the 20 Local Government Areas”, he assured.
While assuring the Association of government support, Odedina charged them to continue to collaborate the Agriculture Ministry for meaningful engagement.
He appreciated the Association for contributing to palliative materials given to the vulnerable in the state during COVID-19 lockdown, describing them as the most well-organized stakeholders in poultry value-chain, just as he promised that Government would continue to strengthen the Industry.
He assured that more land and seedlings would be provided for interested farmers in a bid to provide maize and soya beans, which he noted were the major materials for poultry feeds.
The Commissioner also disclosed government’s readiness to empower rural women with 50 broilers each as more opportunities would be opened to commercial poultry farmers, promising that Government would help the Association to procure landed property and other facilities that would house its Secretariat as well as sponsorship of their annual poultry show.
Earlier, the Chairman of PAN, Ogun State Chapter, Engr. Idowu Asonuga, sought the intervention of the Government towards the availability of maize and soya beans saying, COVID-19 pandemic and barn on importation of maize have affected poultry and egg business across the country.
He also requested for adequate data of stakeholders in agric value-chain which according to him the Association needed for planning and expansion of its activities.
