The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has empowered 50 women with disabilities in Edo State by providing poultry farming packages to support their businesses and improve their livelihoods.
The empowerment programme, which took place in Benin City on Monday, is part of the foundation’s efforts to promote sustainable poultry farming, strengthen rural economies, and increase income opportunities for women engaged in agriculture.
Speaking during the distribution exercise, the General Manager of BATNF, Mr Oludare Odusanya, said the initiative was designed to support women who have shown resilience and commitment to building sustainable poultry enterprises despite their challenges.
Odusanya explained that the beneficiaries were carefully selected to ensure the support reached women already involved in poultry farming who could expand their operations with additional resources.
Represented by Sadiq Waziri, Executive Director of Eco-lead Imperial Engineering and Global Resources Ltd., Odusanya emphasised that empowering women in agriculture remains a key part of the foundation’s community development strategy.
“We firmly believe that by investing in our communities, especially in the capable hands of resilient and enterprising women, we are planting the seeds for a brighter and more prosperous future for Edo State,” he said.
According to him, the initiative goes beyond providing birds and feed, as it aims to build long-term economic resilience among rural women and strengthen food production in local communities.
He described poultry farming as a growing enterprise that can significantly improve household income while also supporting food security.
“Poultry farming is now a transformative enterprise, providing not only a sustainable source of income, but also advancing food security and strengthening community cohesion,” Odusanya said.
The empowerment packages distributed to the beneficiaries include 200 ten-week-old Noiler birds, 200 bags of specially formulated poultry feed and 200 essential multivitamins to support the health and growth of the birds.
BATNF noted that the support package was carefully designed to give the women a strong starting point to grow their poultry businesses and increase their productivity.
Odusanya added that the foundation would continue to provide awareness programmes and other forms of support to ensure the sustainability of the initiative.
He also expressed appreciation to the Edo State Ministry of Livestock Development for partnering with the foundation to implement the programme.
According to him, collaboration with government agencies and development partners has played a significant role in expanding agricultural opportunities for rural communities.
Odusanya further highlighted the foundation’s long history of supporting agricultural development across Nigeria.
He disclosed that since its establishment in 2002, BATNF has invested more than four billion naira in agricultural development programmes aimed at supporting rural smallholder farmers across the country.
According to him, the foundation’s various interventions have benefited more than 1.3 million Nigerians through programmes focused on improving productivity, income generation and sustainable farming practices.
He added that the organisation plans to expand its impact even further in the coming years.
“Our goal is to double the number of beneficiaries over the next decade by increasing our support to smallholder farmers across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Edo State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Mr Ignatius Omorodion, commended BATNF and its implementing partner for supporting women with disabilities through agricultural empowerment.
Represented by the Director of Veterinary Services in the ministry, Thomas Haruna, the commissioner said the state government was working with several partners to strengthen the agricultural sector and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
He noted that the ministry was collaborating with organisations such as the World Bank and the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to implement projects aimed at supporting farmers across the state.
“Many projects will come up this year, and by God’s grace Edo farmers will benefit,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Edo Chapter, Ann Ojugu, expressed appreciation to BATNF and the Edo State Government for the initiative.
Ojugu urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the support provided, stressing that the programme offers a valuable opportunity for economic independence.
“If properly utilised, the support can significantly transform the beneficiaries’ lives and help them achieve financial independence rather than relying on family members or friends,” she said.
