ibironkeeniola 
A leading livestock enterprise in Nigeria, Animal Care Services Konsult Nigeria Ltd, on Wednesday, donated 50 units of Eco-Pro smart cages to startup poultry farmers in Ogun State to boost poultry production.
The cages were handed over to beneficiaries, who are mostly youths in Abeokuta, the State capital by Dr. Tunde Ifemade, the Chief Operating Officer of the company.
Ifemade, explained that, the gesture is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which is aimed at complementing the efforts of the state government in promoting agriculture and to empower the youths and also to stimulate their interest in agriculture.
He said the specially designed cage which cost N120,000 is well engineered to hold up to 56 laying birds and could last up 20 years if well maintained.
Highlighting some of the advantages of the cage, Ifemade said, with the cage, farmers are guaranteed a monthly income of N30,000 with a minimum average daily collection of 50 eggs.
He noted that youths must be encouraged to embrace farming to boost food security and with the Eco-Pro cage, youths can set up poultry farms in their backyards with the prospect of scaling up the farm.
According to him, the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has threatened food security in the country, therefore Nigerians must embrace farming to ensure food sustainability.
Ifemade said, “The aim of this donation is to improve poultry farming at the micro level and also encourage large scale poultry farming as the farmer progresses.
“Household food security has been a very big issue in the world right now and the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has also threatened food security in Nigeria and the entire world. We believe with these cages people can start getting extra passive income to argument whatever they are doing.
“The cage is suitable for start up poultry farmers. It is also an empowerment cage for people that have other vocations that they are doing and they can still have good stream of income by going into poultry farming.
“This are eco pro cages, a unit of it will take about 56 birds. It is designed in such a way that you don’t need any other features because it is stand alone.
“The cage allows for easy assess to fecal materials which can be used for backyard vegetable farming. The cage also has biosecurity such it doesn’t expose the birds to some diseases. The level of disease incidences is reduced and it can be used at the backyard of the house”.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina charged the beneficiaries to put the cages into good use, saying the Ministry would me monitoring the progress of the farmers.
He the gesture would go a long way in reducing unemployment in the State, adding that, the beneficiaries were drawn from the 20 Local Government Areas of the State.
The Commissioner called on other private organisations to emulate Animal Care by supporting government in its effort to ensure food security.
One of the beneficiaries, Kolawole Adesina commended the organisation for the initiative, saying many of them have yearning for such initiative for a long time.
SOURCE: TRIBUNE