Ogun Kick-Starts Third Phase Of Broiler Project.

Ogun State Government has commenced the third phase of the Broiler Project, aimed at empowering youths to be gainfully employed in poultry business.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina said this at Eweje Farm Institute, Odeda, noting that the Broiler Project, which is a pilot project had recorded huge success in the first and second cycles, hence the commencement of the third phase.

He noted that the Broiler Project was an idea of the State government, where 54 young farmers had been empowered with 1,000 day-old broilers each, having raised them for six weeks, after which the off-takers purchased the chickens.

Odedina, while appreciating the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for creating job opportunities for youths through the Poultry Value-Chain, commended the participants for taking advantage of the training, saying they had successfully exhibited strong will to succeed, having made an average of N150,000 profit in each cycle.

The Commissioner disclosed that Governor Abiodun had approved the replication of the Broiler Project in each of the 20 Local Government Areas of the State, assuring the beneficiaries of government’s support by establishing them as commercial poultry farmers after the launch of the third cycle of the Project.

“We are here to launch the third cycle of Ogun Broiler Project, you will recall, we were here to launch the first and second cycles where each participant within the space of 6 weeks, made an average profit of about N150,000 raising 1,000 birds. We were also here to monitor the second cycle which incidentally, happened during the pandemic, thank God, we were able to manage it.

I must congratulate you as the face of agriculture in Ogun State, Nigeria and Africa in general, the whole State appreciate your resilience and for making yourselves available for youth programme on agriculture. We appreciate you for submitting yourselves to trainings, mentoring, as well as marketing and profitability. After this third cycle, the State Government will come up with plans to support and establish you as commercial poultry farmers”, he said.

The Chairman, Transition Committee, Odeda Local Government, Hon. Bola Lawal, lauded the State government for the initiative and successes recorded so far, promising more supports to the programme as he pleaded that more indigenes be absorbed in future.

“I am particularly grateful to the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for moving agriculture from what it used to be to another level, and we also have someone who knows agriculture in and out, manning the Ministry of Agriculture. We are ready to provide all the necessary support to make the programme successful”, the Local Council boss said.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Femi Oguntayo from Abeokuta South Local Government, said being trained as a poultry farmer had been a wonderful opportunity as they have been exposed to the act of raising broilers from day old to six weeks old.

He thanked government and staff of the Ministry of Agriculture for putting them through the training, calling on other youths, especially young graduates to embrace the scheme as it attracts huge profits.