The IFAD-Value Chain Development Programme has distributed commercial poultry equipment and resilient starter stock to 20 persons with disabilities across five Enugu local government areas.
In a targeted push to enhance grassroots food security and foster financial inclusion, the International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) has distributed comprehensive poultry production packages and livestock to 20 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across Enugu State.
The strategic economic intervention, which culminated on Tuesday during a presentation ceremony held in the Udenu Local Government Area, drew carefully selected beneficiaries from five participating council areas: Udenu, Isi-Uzo, Nkanu East, Enugu East, and Aninri.
The distributed agricultural packs consisted of heavy-duty poultry rearing cages, premium starter feeds, specialized drinkers, tactical feeders, and a stock of resilient local chicken breeds.
Speaking during the rollout, the State Nutrition Officer for IFAD-VCDP, Mrs. Promise Ezeah, explained that the intervention was explicitly engineered to optimize both the immediate nutritional intake and the long-term income-generating capacity of vulnerable households.
She emphasized that the global program layout is systematically designed to eliminate barriers that traditionally exclude PWDs from mainstream agricultural development.
“We decided this year to support PWDs with poultry rearing equipment to enhance their nutrition and provide them with income-generating opportunities. Our goal is to help them improve their livelihoods and let them know that they are valued members of society,” Ezeah remarked.
Addressing the economic rationale behind the agricultural input choices, Mrs. Ezeah explained that local chicken varieties were deliberately selected over high-maintenance exotic broilers due to their inherent structural resilience.
She noted that local breeds require minimal capital layout, possess a natural tolerance to regional diseases, and can easily thrive on organic foraging and household kitchen leftovers. This keeps operational maintenance costs near zero while providing a steady supply of high-value dietary protein and marketable farm assets.
The nutrition officer further disclosed that the current livestock distribution builds upon an earlier phase of the program where the same beneficiaries received assorted high-yield vegetable seeds to establish backyard gardens. To guard against asset liquidation, IFAD-VCDP field officers will deploy a strict post-distribution monitoring framework to ensure the hardware is utilized productively.
The intervention was met with profound appreciation from the disability community, with beneficiaries noting that the program provides an honorable path to financial self-sufficiency.
Expressing her gratitude, one of the primary beneficiaries, Mrs. Celestina Eze, described the distribution as a life-altering breakthrough that transforms her from a passive spectator into an active agri-businessman.
”Through the support of IFAD-VCDP, I believe I will expand my poultry business and improve my standard of living,” Mrs. Eze stated emotionally. “We have benefited from several interventions, including fertilizers and seeds, and they have positively impacted our lives. I believe that through this program, I will never become a beggar on the streets.”
Concurrently, another beneficiary, Blessing Ani, commended the international agency for its consistent tracking and support of the disability community, pledging to utilize the starter packs effectively to justify the institutional investment.
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