Kakata- A four-day intensive training exercise aimed at enhancing the skills of poultry producers on improved poultry husbandry practices took place on April 30 to May 3, 2018 at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) sub-office in Kakata, Margibi County.

Jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the MoA, the exercise brought together over eighteen (18) poultry farmers from Montserrado and Margibi Counties through a project titled: “Sustainable production and marketing of vegetable and poultry for Urban/Peri-urban women and youth,” implemented jointly by FAO/MoA.

Chicken is possibly a fast growing and most flexible of all the poultry sector in Liberia. Driven primarily by very strong demand it has expanded, consolidated and globalized over the past 15 years in countries of all income levels. 

Poultry sector, in particular, is essential for the livelihood of farmers often being the major asset they possess. It makes up about 80 percent of poultry stock in low-income food deficit countries and significantly contributes to: improving human nutrition, providing (eggs and meat) with high quality nutrients and micronutrient; generating a small income and saving, especially for women, thus enhancing the capacity to cope with stocks and reducing economic vulnerability and providing manure for vegetable garden and crop production.

The FAO/MoA initiative seek to provide valuable vegetable production and address the issues of storage and simple irrigation that impedes maximum profit making for vegetable growers during the dry season in the two counties.

It also address the issue of poultry health and feed production to reduce the mortality of chicks. The project provides both technical and material support to women group to locally produce fresh and valuable vegetables, and will ensure access and availability of local chicken, fresh eggs and vegetables.

Speaking on behalf of FAO Representative in Liberia, FAO Programme Support Jesse O. Yuan said the project was formulated as a result of a request from the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Agriculture to support women and youth in the Urban/Peri-urban sector.

He added: “Study was conducted and analyzed that poultry products, (eggs and meat) were not accessible to community due to the lack of feed produce from locally produced materials, available feed was been in ported and unaffordable for communities”,

“Against this backdrop, FAO through its technical cooperation programme, provided the amount of US$438.000 to support the Urban/Peri-urban women and youth in vegetable and poultry production”.

Mr Yuan further stated that as a result of the high demand in poultry products around the world and because chicken and other poultry can be for income generation, FAO goal for this project is to raise the profile of farming especially for women and youth production and their importance for food security and poverty eradication.

The FAO Head of Program admonished participants to always keep small number of poultry for home consumption as they increase their income and ensure that eggs and meat should be an important component for their consumption in obtaining food security and nutrition.

The 4 days poultry training was highlighted by group discussions, demonstration and practices. Major topics including the importance of poultry production, the usage of veterinary drugs; preparation of the brooding house and the poultry value chain and feeding were discussed.