The Ogun State Government hasacquired a processing facility capable of handling an additional 1.3 million birds annually, in a move to strengthen its drive to reduce poultry importation and boost local production.
The development follows the completion of a 5,000-bird-per-day poultry processing facility at Ajegunle Farm Settlement in Odeda Local Government Area, under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP).
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, disclosed this during a facility tour of ongoing and completed agricultural projects across Odeda and Yewa South local government areas.
The tour covered Ajegunle Farm Settlement, Eweje Farm Institute and Odo Fufu, as part of the ministry’s first phase of project assessments statewide.
Owotomo stated that the Ajegunle Farm Settlement, which has been designated a poultry hub, currently hosts about 400 resident farmers and continues to attract private investors due to newly provided complementary infrastructure.
These include blast freezers, cold rooms, waste processing facilities, a warehouse with fitted offices, and poultry pens with a combined capacity of 20,000 birds.
According to the commissioner, a private investor has recently completed a 13,000-capacity poultry pen at the settlement, underscoring its growing economic importance and investor confidence in Ogun’s poultry value chain.
He revealed that the state, through OGSTEP, has completed 28 agricultural projects in the last two years, while other initiatives such as the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), OG-CARES and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) have also played key roles in revitalising the sector.
“These projects are aimed at increasing food productivity, improving farmers’ livelihoods and reducing post-harvest losses, which are currently estimated at ₦3.5 trillion annually in Nigeria,” Owotomo said.
Highlighting the broader agricultural relevance, he noted that Nigeria’s per capita chicken consumption remains between 1.7kg and 2kg, far below figures recorded in Ghana, South Africa and Brazil, despite the country importing about 70 per cent of its poultry needs.
He described Ogun’s investment in processing and production infrastructure as critical to reversing this trend.
At the Eweje Farm Institute, where 10 poultry pens capable of producing 10,000 birds each and five four-bedroom residential buildings have been constructed, the commissioner stated that sustained public investment would further position Ogun as Nigeria’s leading poultry hub.
Similarly, at Odo Fufu in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area, a newly constructed cassava processing facility is expected to enhance value addition and improve incomes for surrounding farmers.
On sustainability, Owotomo stressed the importance of farmer ownership, strong monitoring and evaluation, and Public-Private Partnerships to ensure the long-term viability of the facilities.
In separate remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Angel Adelaja, and the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, said the projects would significantly boost productivity and strengthen Ogun State’s economy.
The Principal of Odeda Training Institute, Mr Ademola Benco, and the Chairman of Ajegunle Farm Settlement, Mr Rotimi Sogunle, described the projects as unprecedented, noting that full utilisation would further enhance agricultural output in Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.
Source: Ogun State TV
Image Credit: Punch News
