The Rural Poultry Farmers Association recently held a one-day advocacy meeting on poultry production and marketing, at the governor’s bantaba in Janjanbureh, Central River Region (CRR).

During the meeting, they informed stakeholders about their plan to increase poultry production in the CRR and to have a market for their products.

The divisional veterinary officer for CRR South, Abdoulie Manjang, spoke at length about their plan to provide sufficient poultry products in the division to meet the high demand of consumers.

“The association plans to bring ten thousand layers which will provide nine thousand eggs per day in the next seven months to come,” he disclosed.

This, he explained, necessitated the meeting between them and the authorities, stakeholders and consumers so that they could sell their ideas to have a market for the poultry products.

The PRO of the association, Amie Secka, in her remarks, said the association had imported seven thousand chickens in the division, four thousand broilers, and another three thousand for layers.

She added that since they embarked on poultry production in the division, the price of chicken in the division had gone down.

She however said that one of the major constraints they are faced with “is the marketing of our products”.

For his part, Mam Tuti Njie, President of the association, said that one among their aims is to stop or curtail the importation of poultry products by providing the products in CRD and getting business people to buy from within. Speaking on behalf of the Governor, Mr. Lamin Badjie, Community Development Officer for CRD South, thanked the association for their “good intention for the division”.

He said the importance of poultry production could not be overemphasized, as it would reduce poverty and provide food self-sufficiency.

He also stressed the need for entrepreneurship capacity building for members of the association.

Seyfo Bakary Jam Jawo also made noteworthy and profound remarks on the occasion.