By Victor Nwachukwu
Owerri – Norgem Nigeria Ltd., a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), has expressed its readiness to partner farmers in the rural areas of Imo to increase their production.
Mrs Norma Nwoga, the Managing Director of the NGO, said this on Saturday at a sensitisation workshop organised by the NGO for farmers at Ahiara in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government area of Imo.
Nwoga said that the Southeast was the take-off point for the sensitisation programme, adding that the effort would be extended to other parts of the country in the coming weeks.
She said the group was ready to take poultry business to the rural areas beginning with the Southeast region of the country.
She advised rural farmers, especially women, to engage in agriculture for their financial freedom and self reliance.
Nwoga said that agriculture was playing a significant role in Africa.
”We are encouraging rural farmers, especially the women, to embrace poultry farming, piggery and other forms of agriculture because the earlier we see agriculture as a major source of livelihood, the better for our economy.
”We also seize the opportunity to introduce “Noirler”, a specie of bird introduced in Africa seven years ago. This we are doing in partnership with Amo Farm Siebera Hatchery (AFSH).
”We will supply 1000 birds next Friday to Mbaise women with each woman expected to smile home with five birds each for a start and some feeds for the birds,” she said.
Mrs Peace Opara, the representative of AFSH in Imo, said the programme was majorly targeted at indigent farmers.
She described Noirler as a dual purpose specie that can produce eggs and high quality meat.
”We have a focus on rural farmers, especially those with low income. It’s our own little way of empowering African women for greatness,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 400 rural farmers have enrolled for next Friday’s empowerment programme.
(NAN)