IFAD/LIFE-ND Trains, Empowers Poultry Farmers In Ugono Community

Five newly trained poultry farmers in the International Fund Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises for the Niger Delta (LIFE–ND) on Monday, October 9, 2023, were empowered to start poultry businesses in Ugono Community in Ethlope East Local Government Area of Delta State.

The five newly trained farmers were part of a poultry business incubation programme undertaken at Wimi Poultry Farms, Ugono, Abraka (the incubator).

The trainees of the programme underwent a six months training in the poultry business chain. As part of their training under Wimi Poultry Farms, they acquired practical skills on brooding of birds from day old chicks to maturity, egg production, marketing of poultry products and general farm management.

The stater packs given to the incubatees through Wimi Poultry Farms by IFAD/LIFE –ND, include 200 day old chicks, 10 bags of broiler starter feeds and 40 bags of broiler finisher. In addition, the newly trained poultry farmers are to be given seed capital for the first cycle of the business after which they would have become fully established in the poultry business chain to carry on.

Speaking during the occasion for the handing over of the stater packs to the newly trained poultry farmers,witnessed by indigenes of the community, friends, family and well-wishers of the inductees, the Managing Director of Wimi Poultry Farms, Mrs One Tsetimi, enjoined the outgoing incubatees to be good ambassadors of Wimi Poultry and the incubation programme in order to encourage the sponsors to broaden the scope to enable others benefit.

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She also told them that the starter packs were intended to establish them in the poultry business chain and not to be sold for instant gratification.

She commended the IFAD/LIFE-ND incubation programe as a step in the right direction towards alleviating the effects of poverty and reducing the vulnerability to poverty in Ugono and adjoining communities.

The Agricultural Desk Officer for the FGN/LIFE-ND/FGN/DTS poultry business incubation programme, Mr Charity Akpojotor urged the newly trained poultry farmers to put the starter packs into good use in growing their own poultry business.

Mr Akpojotor enjoined the newly trained poultry farmers to show utmost respect and appreciation to the poultry business incubator as the channel through which the development partners are empowering them to start their own business.

He urged them to ensure that they remit the stipulated percentage of the proceeds to the Management on Wimi Poultry in line with the MOU they signed at the inception of the incubation programme.

A community leader in Ugono, Chief Samuel Umunadi applauded the noble ideals of the poultry business incubation programme.

He commended IFAD/LIFE-ND/FGN/DTS for sponsoring the poultry business incubation programme that will go a long way to improve the economic situation of the beneficiaries, just as he thanked the Management of Wimi Poultry Farms for making their farm and facilities available for the incubation programme which was the first of its kind in the community.

Meanwhile, the highly elated all female newly trained poultry farmers were filled with joy on receiving the starter packs for their poultry business.

A spokesperson for the incubatees, Miss Vivian Onome thanked the sponsors for uplifting their lots in life.

She also extolled the excellent mentorship qualities of their incubator, Mrs Ome Tsetimi.