The governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie
Obiano has expanded the scope of his efforts to
turn Anambra State into a model agricultural
state, attracting $61m investments into
commercial poultry farming in the state.
Signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Lynden Integrated Farms Limited in the
Governor’s Lodge,Amawbia, Tuesday, for the
establishment of a modern poultry production and
processing farm in the state, Governor Obiano
emphasized that Agriculture remains the number
one pillar in his economic agenda.
According to him, the proposed ultra-modern
poultry farm which will be located on seven
hectares of land in Igbariam will generate 250
jobs during construction and 200 permanent jobs
as well as 2000 indirect jobs subsequently.
Speaking further on the plans of his
administration to alter the agricultural landscape
of the South East, Governor Obiano observed that,
“at the moment all the day-old chicks sold in the
South East are brought in from Oyo state. We
want to change that. We want all the day-old
chicks sold in this area to come from Anambra
State.”
He further explained that his plan is to approach
agriculture in two areas – create a favourable and
sustainable environment for commercial
agriculture to thrive and to roll out programmes
that will upgrade the class of machete and hoes
wielding farmers to adapt to the use of new
implements and improved seedlings. “We have
mapped out specific areas where cassava, rice
and maize will best and established cooperatives
in those specific areas. We plan to play to our full
strength in agriculture,” the governor assured.
Earlier in his introductory remarks, the Chairman
of Lynden Integrated Farms Limited, Mr. Clem
Nwogbo had explained that his company plans to
develop a two-phased modern integrated poultry
production and processing farm with day-old
chicks and then subsequently upgrade its facilities
in order to provide high quality meat, eggs from
layers and fresh and frozen poultry meat from
broilers.
“The first phase of this facility will comprise the
setting up of 200,000 broiler houses with 8 pens,
93,000 layer house with 3 pens, 33,000 pullets
house with 1 pen, 2000 birds per house slaughter
house and a feed mill. We plan to double the
production capacity of this farm by extending the
broiler and layer houses to accommodate 400,000
broilers, 186,000 layers and 66,000 pullets after 3
years of full operation of the first phase,” Mr.
Nwogbo further explained.
According to him, Lynden Integrated Farms
Limited has the capacity to position Anambra
state as the center of excellence in poultry
farming in the South East and South South.
Thanking Governor Obiano for creating the
enabling environment that has encouraged
investors to flock to Anambra State, Mr. Nwogbo
explained that Lynden was committed to
commissioning the facility 15 months after the
turning of sod on the proposed site.
Mr. Nwogbo further revealed that the company
plans to implement a robust CSR programme
which will encourage the adoption of the best
practices in poultry farming to small scale
farmers, support educational initiatives in the host
community and supply day-old chicks to farmers
under and out-grower scheme.
Earlier, the Chairman, Anambra State Investment
Promotion and Protection Agency, and Traditional
Ruler of Umuoji, Igwe Cyril Enwezorexplained that
the equity ratio of the company is 90% for the
investing Company, 6% for the state government
and 4% for the host community.