The Edo State Government through its Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has expressed appreciation for the significant strides made by Heifer International in the livestock sector, under the Naija Unlock Project.
The commendation was delivered by the Functioning Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Osayande Sunday, while playing host to Heifer International in his office at the Agriculture Hub in Benin City. He cited the establishment of the 10,000 birds per day processing plant at Obanyantor in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the State, noting its timeliness and strategic relevance.
Mr. Osayande affirmed the Ministry’s readiness to support the project’s scale up and lauded the synergy between the State Government’s livestock development priorities and the Heifer International’s intervention.
The Country Director of Heifer International, represented by Mrs. Onyekachi Ayevbuomwan, while giving a brief on the Organisation and the ongoing Naija Unlock Project in Edo State, said It is a US-based Non-governmental Organisation founded in 1944 by Dan West with a mission to end hunger and poverty through sustainable agricultural practices and environmental stewardship. She added that its operation in Nigeria commenced in the year 2021 with a specific focus on empowering small holder farmers for food production, particularly in rural communities.
She further stated that Edo State was selected as one of the Project’s focal implementation states, due to the strong commitment to agricultural development and active collaboration with private sector partnership, alongside the feasibility and market analysis conducted.
She listed the achievements of the NGO to include the Employment of 24 community facilitators to drive grassroots engagement and farmers’ support; onboarding of over 30,000 poultry farmers through partnerships and agri-tech firms, amongst others.
The Director of the Department of Animal Husbandry Services, Mr. Enodolomwanyi Otamere, while commending Heifer International’s efforts, said the tripartite partnership involving the Edo State Government, Heifer International and Amo Siebere farms, referenced the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU) which detailed the financial structure to provide support to farmers. He recommended the review and update of the Economic of Production (EoP) Document to reflect current market dynamics.
Okojie Francisca
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
PHOTO CAPTION
Middle: The Functioning Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Osayande Sunday; 3rd Right: Mrs. Ayevbuomwan Onyekachi, representative of the Country Director Heifer International; 2nd Right: Mr. Otamere Enodolomwanyi, Head of Animal husbandry Services Department; 1st Right: Mr. Eromonsele Imoloame, Animal husbandry Officer/scientist; 3rd Left: Ms. Obar Eucharia, Animal husbandry Officer/scientist; 2nd Left: Mr. Prince Excellent, Head of Accounts and Finance Department; 1st Left: Mrs. Vivian Iyoha, Animal husbandry Officer /scientist in group photograph during the meeting.
