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GGMAX Farm: UNILORIN, CBN unveil commercial poultry farm

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The University of Ilorin Thursday unveiled commercial poultry farm with 40,000 broiler capacity.

The poultry, UNILORIN GGMAX Farm, was established through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Tertiary Institutiins Poultry Revival Scheme (TIPRES) in partnership with Zenith Bank Plc.

According to the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, the farm also has 4 fully built Layers’ pens currently housing 17,000 chickens, though with installed capacity of 33,000; a feedmill of 5tons/hour; a semi-automated broiler processing unit of 1000 bird per day.

The VC noted that the farm has a cold room of 10tons, blast chiller with a capacity of 500 birds every 4 to 6 hours and a manure processing unit.

With N600 million loan from the CBN at a concessionary interest rate of 9 per cent, and a repayment plan of 6 years, the university kicked-started the 30-hecter farm in February.

Speaking on the impact of the project, Prof. Abdulkareem noted that farm was expected to contribute to food security in Nigeria, bridging the gap between the demand for poultry products and the supply brought by ban on importation.

The VC further said the university research would be boosted, as well as have reverberating effects. “As part of the backward integration, the university is developing a 2,000-hectare land for maize and soya beans cultivation for exclusive use of the poultry farm.”

“I give the Almighty for making this project a reality. I must especially thank the Governor of the CBN for the vision that birthed this project and for supporting the university all the way. He had to write two letters of support to back our application for approval and ‘no objection’.”

In a welcome address by the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emiefele, represented by the Deputy Director and Secretary to Agricultural credit guarantees scheme fund (ACGSF), Edwin Nzelu, he noted that the Nigerian Poultry sub-sector is a trillion naira industry with huge potentials for individuals and national socio-economic development.

“With over 180million chickens under intensive, semi-intensive and extensive production systems, it provides affordable and broadly acceptable meat and eggs to meet our national protein needs,” the CBN Governor added.

He also said that despite being the largest producer of eggs and the second largest producer of chicken meat in Africa, there were still demand gap for eggs and meat, which has driven the smuggling of unhealthy frozen chicken into the country.

“To close this gap, the Central Bank of Nigeria has introduced various Intervention Schemes focused on boosting poultry production, creating decent jobs, fostering innovation in the poultry sub sector. One of such schemes is the Tertiary Institutions Poultry Revival Scheme that was conceptualised specifically for Tertiary Institutions to design and implement viable poultry projects.

“Today we witness the commissioning of the first project to be funded and completed throught the Scheme. It is certain that the laudable objectives of the Scheme including improving revenue of tertiary institutions, employment creation and enhancing research into poultry by tertiary institutions are already being realised.”

Also in attendance were Royal Fathers; representatives of the governor and his deputy; and heads of tertiary institutions.

Delivering his goodwill address, the Olofa of Offa, HRM Oba Mufutau Muhammed Gbadamosi Ajagungbade Esuwoye II, expressed confidence that the initiative by the apex bank and efforts by university management, would no doubt improve the landscape for farmers to thrive and improve significantly.

Hoping that the establishment sprouts beyond reasonable doubts, so that the teeming youth can be gainfully employed either directly or indirectly from it.

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