From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) trained 250 residents in Edo State on poultry farming to boost protein products in the state.
Speaking at the training in Evbarue Community in Orhionmwon local government area of the state, Project Coordinator, LIFE-ND, Jude Ekpu, said the trainees have begun putting their acquired knowledge and experiences into practice having been adequately trained at their respective incubation centres by their incubators for some months.
Mr Ekpu said the project has engaged two sets of 125 youth and women (incubatees); 250 in total and 50 incubators over the past eight months.
Ekpu said the first set of incubatees who have spent months under the incubators tutelage in the apprentice stage, having learned the art of modern agricultural practice in their chosen commodity enterprises (cassava, rice poultry and fishery), have now been supported by LIFE-ND with working capital.
He said 82 of these incubatees so supported with working capital have moved from the apprenticeship phase to the mentorship phase of the incubation process wherein the incubatees start their own businesses under the supervision and guidance of the incubators.
The project coordinator added that amazingly, of these 82 youth and women so far supported with working capital, those into poultry enterprise have begun sales of their broilers and are very hopeful of making profits at the end of sales.
He said the incubatees will, after their second cycle of production, be supported by agri-based financial institutions to start their own businesses.
He added that this would add to the growing number of youth and women empowered with jobs under the Obaseki administration.
One of the incubation centres of the project, Rews Farm, Evbarue Community, owned by Efosa Aigbokan, who is into broiler production, says he is delighted to be a part of the project in Edo State as it has transformed his life.
According to him, the project has empowered him with the knowledge and support to improve his livelihood.
He said he has now taken agriculture as business as he is already making a profit from the sales of his broilers.