Fisheries and Livestock Minister Nkandu Luo has handed over three thousand improved village chickens and 320 goats to 80 women groups in Chadiza district of the Eastern province.
Prof Luo handed over the chickens and goats to the women at Tadyela Primary School in Chadiza yesterday.
Prof Luo disclosed that the livestock is an exercise to stock and restock animals under the Enhanced Smallholder Livestock Investment Program (E-SLIP) which is meant to improve the incomes and nutrition status of poor households countrywide.
“Government has put livestock development on top of its agenda as it is critical in creating wealth and alleviating the sufferings of rural communities countrywide, livestock are a multiplying resource which can help to grow the country’s economy if well harnessed,” she said.
Professor Luo called on the beneficiaries to share the livestock once it multiplies as it has been given as a pass- on- the- gift arrangement.
Prof Luo also challenged youths to get involved in cooperatives and avoid vices that may disturb their lives.
“I don’t want pregnancies in this programme, don’t create marriages but work together by seeing girls as your sisters and not girl friends,” she said.
Meanwhile Chadiza Member of Parliament Salatiel Tembo thanked President Edgar Lungu for considering Chadiza women clubs on the E-SLIP program.
Mr Tembo said the handover of the three thousand chickens and 320 goats to the clubs is a testimony of government’s pro poor policies.
He is optimistic that the empowerment program will help people in Chadiza especially the women folk to fight off poverty.
And Tigwilane Manja women’s club chairperson Dorika Phiri said the cooperatives in Chadiza are grateful to government for recognizing them as beneficiaries of livestock.
“These chickens can help us to make money through meat and egg sales and so I want my fellow beneficiaries to really take care of the chickens so that together we can realize the benefits,” she said.
E-SLIP is a seven year government program which is being implemented with support from OPEC and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).The project’s small livestock sub-component is targeting to benefit 28,000 poor small households of which 50 percent should be women, 30 percent rural youths and 20 percent men.
We thank you. We wish mrs hichilema could also contribute to society in such a manner with all her billions
Take the chickens n goats but VOTE WISELY, 5 years is too long to be neglected.
All that time zoona, that’s when you want to start to empower people ok.
Look at this silly lettuce Luo, if she is not in Michinga she is Eastern Province spewing rubbish….please tell us if you have registered these co-operatives or groups with PACRA, you would surprised to note that this silly woman is a Professor but the things she does oh no you would excused for thinking she is a G7 drop out or a Cavendish University Graduate.
Let the abuse of govt resources begin now…every soon you will hear they have signed another loan with AfB even when they defaulted on the last loans they got in 2016.
Look at this silly lettuce Luo, if she is not in Michinga she is Eastern Province spewing nonsense….please tell us if you have registered these co-operatives or groups with PACRA, you would surprised to note that this silly woman is a Professor but the things she does oh no you would excused for thinking she is a G7 drop out or a Cavendish University Graduate.
Let the abuse of govt resources begin now…every soon you will hear they have signed another loan with AfB even when they defaulted on the last loans they got in 2016.
Eastern province campaigns in full gear.