The District Livestock officer in the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS) in Kenema District Ibrahim Harri Sesay has disclosed to the press in Kenema city that about 400 chickens/ cockerels will soon be distributed to farmers in the 16 chiefdoms in the Kenema district for breeding purposes.
One cockerel is to serve 10 to 15 local chickens. Sesay said the Ministry will be working in collaboration with Farmers Based Organisations (FBOs), Farmers Associations (FAs) and Small holders Commercialization Programme (SCP) operating in the Kenema District. He said there are Smallholders Commercialization Programme established centres in all the 16 Chiefdoms in the District. He explained that the chickens will be bred in a semi intensive system so that they will produce fertile eggs.
The livestock officer further disclosed that when the first quarter of their budgeting come through the Councils, he intends to conduct training for FBOs, FAs and SCPs in the District targeting six sections in Kenema city and later target the entire District. He explained that two volunteers per chiefdom will be trained to take care of all the livestock activities in the Chiefdoms and they will be supplied with drugs when necessary. Mr. Sesay also disclosed that his office will soon embark on a massive vaccination campaign in late February 2011 targeting the District and funding will come from both the Kenema City Council and Kenema District Council respectively.
By Saffa Moriba
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