ONITSHA – The Anambra State government says it will expand its fishery and poultry potentials through its state Agriculture Transformation Scheme (ATS) to be self-sufficient in fishery and poultry production.
Mr Chukwuemeka Ilouno, Chairman of the state Land Acquisition Committee, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Onitsha.
He said that the fishery and poultry expansion would make the state self-sufficient in foods rich in protein content.
Ilouno, who is also the Chairman of the state’s Central Traditional Rulers’ Council, said that the state would in the next one year reap the benefit of its drive in fish and poultry production under the programme.
He said that with self sufficiency in protein production, the shortfall in protein supply necessitated by the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak would be taken care of. [eap_ad_2]
“Yes, that is one good thing that some communities actually have bodies of water and they have voluntarily given it off and some of them are very good for fishery.
“And some of the ones we have visited, clear, very clear water, very clear bodies of water that you will see, you look into them and see how good they are.
“So, I think we are making progress, I think we are going to have a lot bodies of water for this.
“Take for example, in Ogbaru, we have about eight bodies of water; in Igbariam, we have about five bodies of water.
“Large bodies of water that anyone who is into serious fish farming would be so happy and would actually have immense yields.
“The people that are showing interest there now are Indian and Chinese people, but there is also a South African company that is coming to invest in poultry.
“So, I think very soon Anambra would be not only self-sufficient but would be exporting food.’’
Ilouno, who is the traditional ruler of Ifitedunu Community, advised residents of the state to take advantage of the agricultural transformation programme by registering as individual or as co-operative society farming groups in the state Ministry of Agriculture.
NAN reports that the multi-billion naira St. Patrick Farms Ltd, Ossomala, along Onitsha-Atani-Ossomala road have been producing over 500 crates of eggs per day and tonnes of chicken meat, which has helped to meet the protein needs of millions of people living in Onitsha and its environs. (NAN) [eap_ad_3]