The Alliance for Sustainable Livestock (ASL), in collaboration with Ardo Yahaya Global Ventures (AYGV), has commenced the training of over 2000 Nigerian women and youths on Climate Smart Poultry Production in Taraba state.
The training is aimed at equipping the farmers on Climate Smart Poultry Production practices and vaccine management.
Hajiya Aishatu Ardo, convener of the training and chief executive officer of AYGV, said while emphasis is placed on the production of high breeds of poultry, especially broilers, little attention is given to the production of indigenous breeds.
She revealed that the training was intended to improve the knowledge of indigenous poultry producers in both urban and rural areas of the state.
“With the threat to food security and other challenges confronting families, we believe that the training will position the women to get the additional income required to improve their standard of living. There is an increased demand for indigenous chicken breeds over the broilers and we hope to encourage this maximally.
“We hope to curb the high mortality rate of indigenous breeds and we hope to train them on the basic skills to tackle this and take it down to the grassroots,” she said
The Director Livestock Services Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Taraba State, Daudu Mbaamo, urged the participants to take the training seriously as it is a rare privilege for them to have been chosen to be part of it.
“The state will collaborate with every effort at improving food security, especially now that things are critically difficult for everyone, occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal.
“Those of you selected for the training are exceptionally lucky to have been chosen. Make sure you step down the training and make the best of it. Occupy yourselves productively and I can assure you that these skills will last for life. Our contemporary realities mean that we must sit up and think outside the box to make ends meet,” he said.
