Poultry Farmers Get 40,000 Birds As Grant In Cross River

Over 1,000 poultry farmers in Cross River State, brought under seven different clusters, have been supported with a grant of 40,000 birds.
The Tide’s source disclosed that the farmers are to grow the birds in the State Government-owned ultramodern poultry farm named Calachika.
According to the source, the 40,000 birds, which are all broilers, is a grant under the World Bank assisted Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project.
Speaking the State Deputy Governor, Ivara Esu, noted the initiative will ensure constant production and supply of matured poultry birds to feed the chicken processing plant that has already been put in place and operational at the Ayade’s Industrial park.
According to him, the State Government “is happy that a lot of the farmers that belong to the clusters are youths, because Governor Ben Ayade has been passionate about youth engagements and empowerment”.
Esu commended the World Bank and the management of the Appeals Project, both at the national and the state level, noting that many have been engaged and made more efficient in the chosen agricultural value chain through different Appeals initiative, which cuts across such areas as poultry, rice, and cocoa value chain.
The Deputy Governor charged the farmers to pay good attention to things they have to do in order to prevent infection in the poultry and reasonably reduce the mortality rate.
National Coordinator of the Appeals Project, Alhaji Muhammad Jordi, on his part, said bringing over a thousand farmers together under different clusters to teach them and help them manage their chosen business is a commendable initiative of the Cross River State Government, noting that the Appeals Project in the State “has been exemplary”.
The State Project Coordinator of APPEALS,  Mr.  Marcel Agim, noted that the farmers know what to  do in different  clusters and that the 40,000 birds will be doubled in two to three  weeks  time.