L-PRES Rallies Stakeholders for Sustainable Management of Emure Poultry Estate

The Ekiti State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) has intensified engagement with stakeholders on its ongoing Poultry Estate project in Emure-Ekiti, urging the host community and other beneficiaries to take ownership of the facility and ensure its sustainable management, maintenance and utilisation.

The engagement brought together the traditional ruler and community leader, government officials, farmers, processors, marketers, veterinarians and other stakeholders in the livestock value chain, aimed at fostering collaboration and strengthening collective responsibility for the long-term benefit of infrastructure provided under L-PRES.

Speaking at the project site, the Elemure of Emure-Ekiti, Oba James Babatunde Ajiboye, pledged the community's support towards the successful completion, protection and sustainability of the poultry estate. 

He thanked the Ekiti State Government and L-PRES for siting the project in Emure, noting that it would create opportunities for economic empowerment, boost poultry production and improve livelihoods in the area.

The Chairman of Emure Local Government, Prince Adedayo Adedigbo, represented by the Vice Chairman, Hon. (Mrs.) Bola Akinnadeju, commended the state government and L-PRES for the project, describing it as a significant intervention that would drive livestock development and stimulate economic activities within the local government.

Earlier, the State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Mr. Olayinka Adedipe, disclosed that the poultry estate is designed to accommodate 30,000 birds across five pens, each with a capacity of 6,000 birds. 

He said the project would not only boost poultry production but also create employment for youths and women, promote financial inclusion and strengthen participation across the poultry value chain.

Adedipe urged the host community and other beneficiaries to protect the facility and ensure its proper management, stressing that effective sustainability measures would be critical to achieving the intervention's objectives.

The contractor handling construction of the Poultry Estate Pen, Engr. Niyi Ijogun, briefed stakeholders on the progress of work and reaffirmed the construction team's commitment to delivering quality infrastructure in line with approved specifications.

In their goodwill messages, the Director of Animal Husbandry Services in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Babatunde Ogundipe, and the Chairman of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Emure-Ekiti Chapter, Mr. Ojo Lawrence, commended the state government and L-PRES for the intervention. They called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to ensure effective operation and long-term sustainability, noting that collective ownership would be key to maximising the benefits of the investment.

The engagement also gave stakeholders the opportunity to interact with the project team, review construction progress and deliberate on measures needed to ensure the facility achieves its intended objectives.

Other dignitaries at the event included high chiefs, the Iyaloja of Emure-Ekiti, local government officials, Environmental Health Officers, processors, marketers, veterinarians and members of the L-PRES Project Implementation Unit (PIU).

Stakeholders expressed commitment to supporting the project and ensuring the poultry estate becomes a sustainable hub for poultry production, employment generation, women and youth empowerment, financial inclusion and economic development in Emure-Ekiti and across the state.