The National Agricultural Land Development Authority NALDA has commissioned its Achara-Ubo, Emekuku Integrated Farm Estate in Imo State South East Nigeria in line with government’s effort to engage women and youth in the Agriculture sector.
Located in Owerri North local government area, the farm sits on 35 hectares of arable land with six poultry houses, 18 pens that contain about 15,000 birds, three goat houses with 196 goats and three piggeries containing 108 pigs.
It also boasts of three solar-powered boreholes, access roads, drainage and solar-powered street lights on the farm.
Other facilities that are near completion on the farm includes the feed processing facility, the processing and packaging facility and the crop area which is expected to be cultivated in the 2022 Farming season.
NALDA’s Executive Secretary, Prince Paul Ikonne said the project was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration vision to create jobs for the youth and women to ensure food security.
He added that the farm will give 600 direct engagements to farmers in poultry, piggery and goat rearing while 200 additional farmers will be engaged in the processing, packaging and export.
To ensure its sustainability, Ikonne noted that the project will be handed over to the community to take its ownership for proper management.
He added that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of three cassava processing plants in Imo State which will engage 1000 women this farming season to enable more garri production and feed for the animals.
The NALDA boss also revealed that the President has approved the rehabilitation of Songhai Farm and more youths are expected to be engaged.
Some of the beneficiaries of the project who spoke to journalists at the farm, applauded the federal government for resuscitating the moribund farm estate.
They said the training has helped them gain firsthand knowledge in animal husbandry.
One of the beneficiaries, 40-year old Agba Kingsley, head of the goat department who left block moulding business to join the farm said he found farming more lucrative.
He called on young Nigerians to embrace farming and said “government is doing well by establishing the farm and the business is profitable.
Similarly, the project coordinator, Emeka Ugwunali expressed hope that the project will help the host community and beneficiaries improve their well-being.
Delivering his speech during the commissioning, Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma said the project would be sustained through local security and several trainings that would put a larger number of beneficiaries on the track of sustainable animal husbandry.
He said “the partnership with NALDA is to enable the federal government to bring more equipment to enable off-takers to take our products to the appropriate market and thereby make us earn more income and increase our internally generated revenue.”
The governor said the state government in collaboration with the federal government.
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