Liberia’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr Florence Chenoweth, on
Sunday said that Obasanjo Farms in Liberia would create about 30,000 job
opportunities for the citizens.
Chenoweth made the observation during the dedication ceremony of
Obasanjo Farms Liberia Incorporated at Gbah Foboi, Grand Cape Mount
County, in Liberia.
She noted that the Liberian government had focus
ed its attention on the agriculture sector in its efforts to create jobs for the people.
ed its attention on the agriculture sector in its efforts to create jobs for the people.
She, however, urged legislators, chiefs and superintendents from Cape
Mount County to advise youths in the area to seize the opportunities
presented by the new farm to become productive, while ensuring the
area’s development.
Chenoweth stressed that the establishment of Obasanjo Farms would
help in addressing one the salient aspects of the government’s efforts
to ensure food security.
She noted that more than 40 per cent of Liberian children had stunted
growth, stressing the need to solve the problem by fast-tracking the
production of eggs and poultry in Liberia.
“We need to produce proteins either in beans or meat, which the
cattle
, goat and piggery produce, in Liberia, so as to ensure balance diets for our people’s nutrition,” she said.
, goat and piggery produce, in Liberia, so as to ensure balance diets for our people’s nutrition,” she said.
Earlier, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf described President Olusegun
Obasanjo as a visionary leader who was responsive to the needs of the
people in critical areas.
She commended Obasanjo for his constant support for Liberia and for having faith in the future of the country.
Also speaking, Mr Daniel Atsu, the Group Managing Director of
Obasanjo Holdings Limited, said that the farm was set up in anticipation
of the adverse effects of global warming and climate change on poultry
production in tropical Africa.
He stressed that such anticipation informed the decision of Obasanjo
to develop African poultry breeds which could thrive in hot and humid
environment.
Atsu said that the farm had six standard poultry houses, adding that
two of them were for breeding young chicks, while the remaining four
were equipped with three-tier automated layer cages.
He said that the first and second batches of about 10,000 layers had started laying eggs.
He said that the layer houses would soon be increased to 16, a capacity which would produce about 15,000 farm fresh eggs daily.
Atsu said that the farm would offer unlimited opportunities to
farmers to grow corn, soybeans or supply dried or smoked fish in large
quantities, saying that the farm was situated on 125 acres of land.
Source: http://businessnews.com.ng
