Poultry keepers appeal to be joined at BBT

YOUTH engaged in the poultry sector have appealed to the government and stakeholders to support them in acquiring land and financing to further establish their businesses as the Africa’s Food Systems Forum 2023 convenes in Tanzania next week.

According to the youth, the government should also consider the group while referring to the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) initiative in the agriculture sector, whereby over 800 youths have gone through rigorous training and issued 10 acre-lands with a goal of revolutionising the sector.

A beneficiary of AKM Glitters Company Limited Youth Incubation Model Mr Omary Mussa from Tanga Yetu Group that is based in Tanga region disclosed this in Dar es Salaam recently, when a team of journalists visited them at one of the company’s poultry establishments in Mbopo area in Madala.

The media tour was organised jointly by the Ministry Livestock and Fisheries and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in tandem with the Africa Food Systems 2023 expected to take place in Dar es Salaam from next Monday and Tuesday.

Mr Mussa noted that through the support from AKM Glitters a group of 50 youths organised in five groups have managed to successfully carry out poultry keeping training for three months.

“The programme has helped us to build our capacity in the various areas of poultry farming. The skills obtained help us to start our own business or employ ourselves in areas including hatchery, animal food production among others,” said Mr Mussa.

He noted that the programme assisted them to generate a profit of 6.0m/- obtained by selling chicks in all the five batches which the group took part in, noting that the money will be used as seed money to start their business.

Before the programme, he said most of them did not know that poultry was a lucrative business which can help them arrive at their goals.

“After participating in the programme, we now have big ideas on venturing into the poultry business but the challenge which acts as a setback is land and money for putting up poultry houses,” maintained Mr Mussa.

AKM Glitters Chief Executive Officer Ms Elizabeth Swai said that the company uses the youth incubation model to promote profitable enterprises along the chicken value chain.

“A group of 50 youths organised in five groups are trained and participate in practical training for three months. In the course of training beneficiaries receive 70,000/- for their upkeep and 5,000/- daily for meals,” she said.

After three months, the youth acquire seed money and are linked to financiers to continue with the business but the biggest challenge was land.

Thus, she called upon the government to support the youth to fulfil their dreams so that they could generate their own incomes and become independent.

“We have witnessed the government providing land to youth through BBT in agriculture, it is our appeal that they also support the youth in the poultry sector because it can generate a very huge income through its vast value chains,” she noted.

While officiating at the Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition which took place in Mbeya Region this year Vice President Dr Philip Mpango, revealed that the government recognises the role of youth and importance of employment creation.