A female National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member serving in Katsina State, Nafisa Umar-Hassan, has trained 20 women on poultry farming and feed production.

The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Prof. Ahmed Bakori, disclosed this at the graduation of the women in Katsina on Saturday.

Commending the corps member, Mr Bakori said the beneficiaries underwent training in best agronomic practice in poultry production, management and market linkages.

The state Coordinator of the Fadama Project, Mohammed Bello, said the support was collaboration between the corps member and his office.

According to him, the 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 state NYSC Coordinator, Sa’idu Ibrahim, also commended the corps member for her ingenuity and thoughtfulness to embark on the project.

He said that apart from the support, Ms Umar-Hassan had previously drilled a borehole at Dan-Shirwa community, in the Charanchi Local Government Area.

Mr Ibrahim added that she also donated 50 mattresses each to the Primary Health Centres in Kaita, Batagarawa and Rimi LGAs.

He said, “Umar-Hassan had also donated uniforms to 100 pupils at Batagarawa Primary School and provided street light to a Tsangaya School in Katsina.’’ 

Mr Ibrahim called on other corps members to emulate her by executing similar community-oriented projects in their various host communities.

The NYSC coordinator also advised the stakeholders, especially the state and local government officials, other well-meaning individuals, corps employers and philanthropists to always support corps members.

He thanked the state government and the Batagarawa local government and the Commissioner for Agriculture for their support to the corps member.

 The corps member, who is serving in Batagarawa LGA, said the gesture was part of her Community Development Service.  

Mr Umar-Hassan explained that her NYSC journey had really exposed her to 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 take decisions without the permission of their husbands. After creating awareness among the women, I was able to convince 20 of them who actually participated in the training on best agronomic practice 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.’’

She said that each of them had been provided with a plastic drinker, a bag of feed, a feeding tray, 25-day old chickens and drugs for poultry production and sustenance.

 According to her, with the 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 the empowerment.

(NAN)