The government of Rwanda with the support of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has established four poultry model farms to enable the East African nation boost its food security and income for the youth and women smallholders.
The model farms set in Nyaruguru, Ruhango, and Nyanza districts are already benefiting 227 individuals who received 5,000 chickens with feed to take then through two months.
These youth and women received training from FAO experts, covering topics such as poultry farming, entrepreneurship, technology use in poultry farming, poultry product marketing, market linkage, budget development, business planning, and resource utilization in modern poultry farming to maximize profits.
This was meant to equip them to start businesses and achieve self-reliance.
This effort is part of the “Hand-in-Hand” initiative, which aims to enhance food system capacities and reduce poverty by empowering youth and women to become successful entrepreneurs. Each modern farm is equipped with materials and support to ensure sustainable business ventures.
“We were thrilled to collaborate with Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), the Southern Province governor, and the Nyaruguru District mayor to inaugurate these FAO-supported poultry model farms for the youth,” expressed Coumba Sow, FAO’s Country Representative in Rwanda.
She stated, “Our goal is to help these young individuals establish their own businesses. Success in business entails generating profits, creating market linkages, and ensuring their production is beneficial for themselves, their families, and the nation.”
“We have set up model farms for 41 young people. I urge them to see this as a business venture, aim for profitability, and appreciate the value of the support they have received from the government. These model farms have the potential to positively impact the entire country,” she noted while referring to the beneficiaries.
On his side, Ildephonse Musafiri, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources said the ministry’s efforts is to encourage youth participation in agriculture emphasizing the numerous income-generating opportunities in the agricultural sector and its crucial role in reducing unemployment.
“We are assisting young entrepreneurs, especially those in poultry farming, by offering training and expertise to help them thrive as business owners. We have supplied them with egg-laying chickens and renovated housing, enabling them to start earning income,” said Musafiri.
“This is a pilot phase, and if successful, we plan to expand this initiative nationwide. Future plans may include providing cows or pigs to further support agricultural development.”
He asked the youth to take advantage of such opportunities which past generations lacked highlighting the importance of self-motivation and stressing the need to utilize available resources effectively, even as additional support becomes accessible.
In 2019, members of the ABAHIGIRAKWESIMIHIGO cooperative each contributed Rwf13,000 to purchase a plot of land for Rwf570,000.
With support from FAO, they later received 500 chickens, a poultry model house, and training in chicken care. This enabled them to increase their earnings to approximately Rwf19,555,500 after 90 weeks. They also donate a tenth of their daily harvest to the local Early Childhood Development Centre (ECD) to combat malnutrition and stunting in children.
Additionally, they are actively addressing human security issues in their sector by building houses and toilets for vulnerable families and assisting school dropouts. Other poultry farmers in their association share their commitment to agriculture and strive to be role models for their community.
