A private firm has given support to the programme of Senator Oluremi
Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu in her untiring efforts to enhance
women involvement in farming in Nigeria. Amo Farm, a notable
agribusiness outfit, decided to give a boost to the Renewed Hope Initiative
(RHI) Women Agricultural Support Programme, which was launched
recently. Amo Farm supported the Southwest edition of the national
programme by contributing One Thousand (1000) pieces of 5 weeks old
Noiler Birds to be distributed to 100 women farmers in the zone. The
gesture designed to enhance the objective of the RHI programme will also
contribute to efforts by the Tinubu administration to fight food insecurity in
the country.
That, however, is not the only thing that Amo Farm gave in support of the
programme. Each of the beneficiaries also got a 12.5kg of Amo Byng
Grower Pellet, as start-up packs for small poultry farming, and a pack of
Divertamin, a combination of essential nutrients for the Noiler Birds to attain
optimum growth and production.
While Senator Tinubu was presenting the Noiler Birds and other materials
to the beneficiaries in Abeokuta, Governor Dapo Abiodun commended the
practised collaboration of the Farm with the Ogun State government in its
effort to promote agriculture through empowerment initiative.
Amo Farm’s Group Managing Director, Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, who was
present at the event, said his Farm gave the support for the RHI in the
South-west to further boost women involvement in agribusiness “for food
sustainability, wealth creation, and animal protein for improved well-being.”
The appreciation by Senator Tinubu and Governor Abiodun goes beyond
the mere boost in number and morale of women farmers. The governor and
the first lady were delighted that the specie of birds that are being given to
the farmers will give them an added profit even as the consumers would
have more value for their money. The Noiler Bird innovation is a product of
several years of research and development through a selective breeding
process, and this was confirmed, after due scientific process, by the
Harvard Business Review publication. The initiative was launched in 2014.
Noiler is a source of protein and a dual-purpose chicken breed that is
similar in looks and taste to the native chicken, but is resistant to diseases,
and produces four times more eggs and three times more meat. The
advantages are not limited to quantity, there is also a bounty in the quality
of the offers, as the eggs bear the nutrients needed for all ages and the
meat “contains all essential amino acids and is low in saturated fats and
cholesterol.”
Bushlink reported earlier that the scheme by Senator Oluremi Tinubu
includes a grant of N500,000 each for 20 farmers in each state to assist
them to contribute to ongoing efforts at solving the challenge of food
insecurity in the country. The event was witnessed by first ladies from all
states in the southwest, as well as other states and other dignitaries.
Women farmers were not the only people who left the event smiling. There
were 100 people with disability who got N100,000 each either for start ups
or to enlarge existing businesses.