Two hundred women in Jigawa State have received poultry birds, feed and medication from the BATN Foundation through its EMPOWER-Her Poultry Project, an initiative aimed at improving household income and strengthening food security.

The beneficiaries were provided with the agricultural inputs after completing training in poultry production and enterprise management. The initiative was formally launched in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, on September 4, 2026.

The project is being implemented in partnership with the Jigawa State Government and development partners to equip women in rural communities with productive assets and practical skills to establish sustainable poultry enterprises.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the foundation and made available to PUNCH Online on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Project Manager of BATN Foundation, Adetola Oniyelu, said the intervention was intended to provide more than agricultural inputs by helping participants establish viable income-generating businesses.

“For us, empowerment goes beyond providing inputs. It is about creating opportunities for women to build productive businesses, generate income, contribute to household food security and strengthen their economic resilience,” Oniyelu said.

He added that encouraging the beneficiaries to engage in poultry production would provide opportunities for sustainable livelihoods while enabling them to make greater contributions to their families and communities.

Under the project, the women received Noiler birds, poultry feed and medication, in addition to practical training designed to help them care for the birds and run the poultry venture as an enterprise.

Poultry production offers rural households an avenue to earn income from the sale of eggs and meat, while also supporting household food supplies and nutrition.

The initiative is consequently expected to strengthen the economic resilience of participating families and improve access to animal protein within their communities.

Government officials who attended the event also encouraged the beneficiaries to regard the poultry birds and other materials provided as productive assets and to manage their businesses sustainably.

Those present at the event included the Jigawa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Muttaka Namadi; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hadiza Abdulwahab; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Auwalu Ado Shehu; and Oniyelu, alongside other stakeholders.

Source: PUNCH