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In a bid to align with the Federal Government’s move to boost poultry production in the country, natnudO foods has resolved to boost poultry production in the country through its natnupreneur out-growers scheme.
The natnupreneur out-growers scheme which currently has 1,219 farmers on board after three years of its pilot phase will help reduce the country’s food import bill and also ensure self-sufficient in chicken production within the next few years.
“The aim of the scheme is to provide quality food for Nigerians through the provision of quality inputs for poultry farmers, generate employment and support Federal Government drive for food security,” said Gbolade Adewole, coordinator, Natnupreneur scheme during a press briefing with journalists recently in Lagos.
“The out-grower scheme will provide a ready market for farmers and also ensure that they are constantly in business,” Adewole said.
He disclosed that farmers under the scheme have consistently enjoyed between 7.5percent and 15percent profit on investment per cycle. With a potential to conclude 5 cycles per year, stressing that efficient farmers stand to make between 37.5percent – 75percent profit per annum, making natnupreneur broiler out-grower the most profitable poultry scheme in the country.
He stated that the natnupreneur initiative is not only in the business of providing a ready market for broiler farmers, but also in ensuring that they are consistently in business and they make profits that can be sustained consistently over time.
“We treat our farmers’ farms as our own and invest a lot of time in ensuring their poultry businesses is run with global best practices as we run and manage ours, because we believe that our success is closely tied to the success of our farmers,” the coordinator added.
He then concluded that the Natnupreneur scheme is set to reposition poultry out-grower service in Nigeria by supporting the establishment of new broiler farms and expanding existing ones in the nooks and crannies of the country.
Currently, Africa biggest economy needs more than a million metric tonnes of poultry products annually to meet local demand. Official figure shows that local farmers are only able to produce 450,000 metric tonnes per annum, leaving a demand-supply gap of more than 1 million metric tonnes.
This has made smuggling of poultry products; especially chicken and turkey a big business for importers of these products.
As a result of this, the government placed ban on the importation of poultry products. But most of the bans have failed to be effective and have made no real impact on actual foreign imports.
To bridge the demand and supply gap and attract youths into farming, the natnupreneur out-grower scheme will provide technical support to farmers to train them on bio-safety, work with them to ensure profitability and ensure a guarantee price through its off-taker agreement with the farmers.
“natnuPreneur has a standard operating manual used in monitoring optimal farm management, such that, lapses in standard processes are quickly noticed and brought to the attention of the farmer,” said Wasiu Abodunrin, regional manager, natnupreneur.
“Presently, the initiative indirectly influences the employment over 5,000 people, who work at various levels with farmers and farmer cooperatives and has the potential to employ 1 million people,” Abodunrin said.
Toromade Francis, head-policy and strategy, Amo Group called on governments at all levels to be more proactive in curbing the menace of smuggling chicken products into the country and also support the local production of maize and soya, which are major inputs for feed production, adding that if this is done, the initiative will be able to create more employment opportunities, absorb over 10 million people and add significantly to the overall GDP of the nation.
Josephine Okojie
