By Vincent Ujumadu

AWKA- ANAMBRA State government has stepped up efforts aimed at turning the state into the nation’s agricultural base with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with a private investor, Lynden Integrated Farms Ltd, for the establishment of commercial poultry farm in the state. The investment is to gulp about N13 billion.

The first phase of the project will entail the setting up of 200,000 broiler houses with 8 pens, 93,000 layer houses with 3 pens, 33,000 pullets house with 1 pen, 2000 birds per house slaughter house and a feed mill.

It is expected that by the time the farm goes into full production in three years’ time, its production capacity will double such that the broiler and layer houses would be able to accommodate 400,000 broilers, 186,000 layers and 66,000 pullets.

Equity ratio in the investment shows that the company has 90%, the state government 6% and 4% for the host community. Governor Willie Obiano said during the signing ceremony in Awka that the proposed poultry farm, which will be located on a seven hectares of land at Igbariam, will generate no fewer than 250 jobs during construction and 200 permanent jobs, as well as 2000 indirect jobs subsequently.

According to the governor, the ultimate objective is to ensure that Anambra becomes the main supplier of eggs in the South East geo –political zone in the next few years. “At the moment most of the day-old chicks sold in the South East are brought from the South West,” the governor said, adding “We want to change that so that all the day-old chicks sold in this area should come from Anambra State.’’

Obiano said his plan was to approach agriculture in two areas namely, creating a favourable and sustainable environment for commercial agriculture to thrive and rolling out programmes that will upgrade the class of machete and hoes -wielding farmers to adapt to the use of new implements and improved seedlings.

“We have mapped out specific areas where cassava, rice and maize will best and established cooperatives in those specific areas. We plan to play to our full strength in agriculture,” the governor further said. Chairman of Lynden Integrated Farms Limited, Mr. Clem Nwogbo said his company plans to develop a two-phased modern integrated poultry production and processing farm with day-old chicks and subsequently upgrade its facilities.

He explained that the farm has the capacity to position Anambra State as the center of excellence in poultry farming in the South East and South South geo –political zones and commended Governor Obiano for creating the enabling environment that has encouraged investors to flock to Anambra State.

Nwogbo further assured that the company would adopt best practices in poultry farming favourable to small scale farmers and support educational initiatives for the benefit of the host community.