Ten Farmers Receive Broiler Chicks from President Masisi

Ten farmers from across Botswana were gifted with 200 day-old broiler chicks each this morning at the Office of the President, through the support of His Excellency Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

The donation was a result of the 2,000 day-old chicks that President Masisi received last year at the official opening of Irvine’s Feed Mill, popularly known as Irvine’s. The president donated the chicks to ten beneficiaries, who were identified by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Speaking at the occasion, Minister for State President, Hon Kabo Morwaeng commended Irvine’s Botswana for their gesture, which he said is expected to uplift the lives of the beneficiaries. He said the support by Irvine’s Botswana will go a long way in helping ensure that efforts to feed the nation by different young farmers is attained.

The ten beneficiaries were also given 2,100 kilograms of Maxi Value starter feed each, which will help them to feed their chicks for the first six weeks of their lives. This is a critical period for the chicks, as they are growing rapidly and need a high-quality diet to support their development. The Maxi Value starter feed is a high-quality feed that is specifically designed for broiler chicks. It contains all of the nutrients that the chicks need to grow and develop properly.

In addition to the feed, the ten beneficiaries will also receive a one-day broiler training session from Irvine’s. This training will cover a variety of topics, including care for broiler chick, nutrition and how to prevent diseases. For his part, Minister of Agriculture Hon Fidelis Molao, implored the farmers to ensure extensive marketing of their businesses for them to grow and create more sustainable jobs. He said government has approved a strategy to resuscitate small-scale poultry production, where small-scale poultry producers will be clustered, registered as cooperatives, registered with Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), and registered for Economic Diversification Drive (EDD). They will then be facilitated to access government tenders through Presidential Directive Cab 27 (A) 2014. Molao said this is done to increase the contribution of small-scale poultry producers to the poultry industry.

Meanwhile, Irvine’s Botswana CEO, Mr Adre Hoffman, revealed that their company continues to support over 5,000 Batswana in businesses as suppliers, the majority of whom are women. He said they are committed to helping small-scale enterprises grow, and as such their donation resonates with the desire to support business and creation of employment.

The small-scale poultry farmers are an important part of the economy, as they provide a source of protein to consumers and create jobs. This donation will therefore go a long way in resuscitating the sub-sector which has been struggling in recent years due to a number of factors, including competition from large-scale poultry producers and the high cost of inputs.