As part of her commitment to enhance poultry production as well as Corporate-social Responsibility, the British America Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has partnered with the Akwa Ibom State Government to empower rural women with farm inputs.
Presenting the farm inputs to beneficiaries, the Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development, Dr. Offiong Offor lauded the initiative, saying it agrees with the ARISE agenda of Governor Umo Eno to boost agricultural production in the State.
Offor who reasoned that the foundation has made the good choice of the gender, that will run the vision, assured that in the next few years the noiler birds will multiply to boost food supply, across the State.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Mrs. Rosemary Ubia, she applauded the State government and Commissioner for supporting the empowerment program.
While commending the Directors and the team members for their contributions to the program, the Agriculture boss advised recipients to properly groom the birds to multiply, as monitoring team will visit their locations to assess the progress of the farms in due course.
In his speech, the General Manager, BATNF, Oludare Odusanya who spoke through the Program Officer, Dr. Umar Maina, said the vision of the foundation, in sowing the seeds for a brighter future in the State, is a reflection of her investing in enterprising women.
Odusanya, hinted that the foundation which was found in 2002 has invested over 4 billion Naira in support of government’ agricultural development programmes to reach about 13 million rural smallholder farmers in Nigeria, has gone beyond providing resources, to enhancing development, resilience and economic empowerment of rural communities.
He commended the State government, for embracing the programme through the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, to touch the lives of women in the rural communities, for income generation.
Welcoming the farmers, the Director Veterinary Services in the Ministry, Dr. Teddy Essien, said the programme is poised to promote rural agriculture and improve the species of our birds, called on the beneficiaries to propagate the intention of the foundation.
Setting the tone for the event, the Director Animal Husbandry, Dr. Namokwo Orok noted that the gesture is in line with the ARISE Agenda of the State government, which places agriculture revolution & rural development at the front burner and added that the partnership is timely.
In a brief training session, the Head of Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Aniefiok Okoko, said noiler species which are bred in Nigeria, is a genetic combination of layers, broilers and local chicks, having resistance to infections as well as ensuring feed efficiency.
In their separate goodwill messages, the State Chairman Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Alexander Bassey, a farmer Obonganwan Idara Eyo Ekpe and others stated that Akwa Ibom State is the second largest producer of broiler in Nigeria; therefore the choice of noiler specie is welcomed due to its resistance to diseases and quantity of meat.
They lauded the donors for the empowerment programme and gave a commitment to nurture the inputs received to multiply and ensure food sufficiency in Akwa Ibom State.
At the event 100 rural women across the Akwa Ibom State received 20 numbers, 4 weeks noiler birds, a bag of feed and vitamins to enhance their growth.
