BATN Foundation, Lagos deepen partnership with poultry initiative

The BATN Foundation, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, has launched the 'Chicks to Plate' poultry development project, aiming to train 200 prospective and existing poultry farmers in Lagos, Nigeria. This initiative marks an expansion of the foundation's agricultural partnership with the state government, with the goal of strengthening local food production and creating sustainable livelihoods.

The 'Chicks to Plate' project, implemented in conjunction with the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority, will provide participants with comprehensive practical training. This includes modern poultry production techniques, effective farm management strategies, and essential agribusiness skills. As part of the program, 40 participating layer farmers will receive additional enterprise support to help scale up their operations.

“

poultry has the potential to improve access to animal protein while creating employment and strengthening agricultural value chains.

This new poultry initiative builds upon an established eight-year partnership between BATN Foundation and the Lagos State Government, which began in 2018 with the 'Fingerlings to Fork' program focused on aquaculture. That earlier program trained over 1,400 fish farmers and provided them with production assets. The current project aligns with Lagos State's broader objective to increase the proportion of food consumed within the state that is produced locally, a target currently set at 50% from the existing 25%.

Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, highlighted the potential of poultry farming to enhance access to animal protein, generate employment, and strengthen agricultural value chains. The 'Chicks to Plate' project is designed to address operational challenges faced by farmers by equipping them with modern production methods and sound agribusiness management practices. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems emphasized that the experience gained from the 'Fingerlings to Fork' program provided a solid foundation for extending the partnership into poultry production, underscoring a commitment to continuous agricultural development.

“

At BATN Foundation, we believe sustainable agricultural development goes beyond training. It is about equipping farmers with practical skills, improving productivity, strengthening value chains and creating opportunities that translate into lasting eco