A non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Norgem Nigeria Limited, has empowered indigent rural women farmers in Imo State with 1000 Noirler birds, a breed that produces eggs with high quality meat.
The empowerment programme, held in Ahiara in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area, had 100 women beneficiaries from Mbaise.
Norgem Nigeria Managing Director Mrs. Norma Nwoga said the objective of the programme was to make rural women self-sufficient through agriculture, especially in poultry farming.
She said it was also to engage them in agriculture production for their financial freedom and self reliance. She also said her organisation was partnering the Amo Farm Siebera Hatchery (AFSH), which introduced Noirler, the specie of the bird in Africa seven years ago.
Nwoga said agriculture was playing a significant role in Africa and promised that rural women in other local government areas of the state would also benefit from the empowerment programme.
She said the programme was kick- started last week with a sensitisation and training session for women on how to start their poultry business.
“The programme is basically to assist the women with birds, feeds, multivitamins and medicines for the birds.
”We are supplying 1000 birds to Mbaise women with each woman expected to smile home with 10 birds each for a start and some feed for the birds.
“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,” she said.
Nwoga advised the women not to see the birds as ready source of food, but as a source of income to improve their livelihood and their family members.
A beneficiary, Mrs. Rose Ibe, from Mbaise, said she was delighted with the gifts, adding that it was coming in time.
She thanked Mrs Nwoga for her thoughtfulness and enjoined her to continue to do the good work.