Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in collaboration with Rwanda, has launched a project worth US$800,000 to help improve poultry farming in the east African country
The project is financially supported by Africa Solidarity Trust Funds (ASTF). It will assist small scale poultry farmers to increase production and promote their linkages to markets.
The project will also focus on income-generating schemes, which will seek to improve the livelihoods of youth and women. The project will also create jobs and increase food access in the region, added FAO.
Christine Kanyandekwe, deputy director in charge of Animal Resources at Rwanda Agriculture Board, said, “The project will speed up our goals to fight extreme poverty and hunger, especially in rural areas.”
According to Kanyandekwe, Rwanda has a high demand of eggs and pullets. “We need 600,000 pullets every month to satisfy the market, yet we are producing only 200,000 pullets,” she added.
Otto Vianney Muhinda, assistant representative in-charge of programmes of FAO Rwanda, said that the UN organisation will offer training in poultry, especially how to shorten the production cycle and reduce the associated risks for small scale farmers so they can provide high quality pullets.
“We will also provide equipment like incubators, fund construction of poultry shelter and long-term loans to the farmers,” he added.
The project is expected to also boost school feeding programme in the country by availing at least two eggs per child a week in selected schools.
