Governent should provide loans, equipment to encourage farmers -Abdulmalik of Almerh Farm

Abdulmalik Danjuma Muhammad is the owner of Almerh Farm. He speaks on the business and other issues in this interview with ISAAC NGUMAH. Excerpt:

How do you produce healthy life weight chicken at affordable price?

What we do is that we have to make sure that the day old that is the babies, we make sure that they come from the acceptable hatch, they have to be healthy since from their arrival, three to five hours we have to check their feedings, their water system and their movement, because most of the diseases the broilers catch appears on their feeds before they appear on their bodies. So, those in and out, up and down; that is how we attained to them. Those life weights broilers ends up 24 hours even during the heat periods we used to provide ventilation fans, cooling system to make sure that the birds are comfortable.

Tell us about your commercial production

We started with 200 broilers but right now we are producing seven hundred broilers life weights or even dressed chicken which is our standard, and we have customers that are even in demands with the rate of 700 chicken broilers that made us to go and look for investors .We started three years ago, but we are improving by God’s Grace.

What and what do you produce from your farm?

We only produce broilers for now.

What can you say on the farm business in Nigeria?

The farm business in Nigeria is growing, but the broiler sector in Sokoto State is dying due to high temperature.

What can the government do to encourage farmers in Nigeria?

What the governments can do is to provide loans for the farmers; the eligible farmers. It will encourage the farmers more. They should also provide farm equipment, etc. for the farm business to grow.

What is your focus in the industry?

My focus is to grow, to rent one big farm, to expand my farm business the more. By the end of 2024, I hope to produce 1,500 broilers weekly.

Is it capital intensive to start an Agric business like yours?

It is very capital intensive and it requires patients and passion.

How did you raise capital to start?

During my NYSC, the money I saved from my allowance and I also borrowed N100,000 from my sister. That is how I started.

How has your farm business being able to boost food security in Nigeria?

Our services, sales and business have increased even beyond Sokoto State.

What were you doing before you started your farm business?

I was just a fresh graduate not yet employed.

What made you to go into agric business?

My passion and love for the business

Is agric business a lucrative business?

Yes. it is a lucrative business

How many years have you been in the business?

I started in 2022

What are you impact so far in the business?

People consuming the boilers are satisfied with the production

How many people have you trained through your venture?

Four people

Tell us your challenges in the business

The weather, lack of investors in the business and delivery

Tell us your growth in the business

I started with 200 birds but now, we have grown tremendously

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