A serving female National Youths Service Corps member currently serving in Katsina State, identified as Nafisa Umar-Hassan, has no trained no fewer than 20 women in poultry farming and feed production. The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Prof. Ahmed Bakori, made this disclosure at the graduation of the women in Katsina on Saturday.
Bakori, while commending the corps members stated that the beneficiaries have undergone training on best agronomic practices in poultry production, management, and market linkages. The state Coordinator of the Fadama Project, Mohammed Bello, said the support was a collaboration between the corps member and his office.
He further stated that his office considered the aim and objective of her initiative, which convinced him to support the corps member, saying,” ” This is because it is in line with the project’s objectives.”
The NYSC Coordinator in the state, Sa’idu Ibrahim, also applauded the corps member for her ingenuity and thoughtfulness to embark on the project. He further stated that apart from this support, Umar-Hassan had previously drilled a borehole at the Dan-Shirwa community, in Charanchi LG.
Ibrahim added that she had also donated 50 mattresses each to the Primary Health Centres in Kaita, Batagarawa, and Rimi LGAs.
“Umar-Hassan had also donated uniforms to 100 students at Batagarawa Primary School and provided street light to a Tsangaya School in Katsina,” he said. Ibrahim called on other corps members to emulate her by executing similar community-oriented projects in their various host communities.
The coordinator also advised the stakeholders, especially the state and local government officials, other well-meaning individuals, corps employers, and philanthropists, to always support the corps members. He further thanked the state government and the Batagarawa LGA, as well as the Commissioner for Agriculture for their support to the corps member.
The corps member, who is serving in Batagarawa LG, said the gesture was part of her Community Development Service (CDS).
Umar-Hassan explained that her NYSC journey has exposed her to so many lifestyles of the people of her host community and the state in general. The corps member commended women for their commitment, saying, ” They hardly make decisions without the permission of their husbands.
“After creating awareness among the women, I was able to convince 20 of them who participated in the training on best agronomic practices in poultry production, management, and market linkages. I am assuring you that each of the women can now produce feed to start a poultry farm,” the corps member said.
She added that each of the beneficiaries has been provided with a plastic drinker, a bag of feed, a feeding tray, 25-day-old chickens, and a variety of drugs for poultry production and sustenance.
She further explained that with support of the state Commissioner for Agriculture, other executive council members, and philanthropists, she was able to raise funds to provide the required materials for empowerment.
(NAN)
