Irvines Botswana gives to small scale farmers

Africa-Press – Botswana. The country’s poultry industry continues to grow in leaps and bounds owing to efforts of companies such as Irvine’s Botswana.

Presenting 2 000 day-old broiler chicks from Irvine’s Botswana to 10 small scale poultry farmers on behalf of President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi this week, Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng said the company had been proactive in growth of the poultry industry.

Mr Morwaeng commended the company not only for its successful business model, but for its proactive corporate social responsibility programme.

He noted that the company had also trained over 2 000 small-scale poultry farmers in the country.

Mr Morwaeng added that Irvine’s Botswan contributed to the growth of the poultry industry, something that was in line with the country’s development agenda.

President Masisi officiated at the opening of Irvine’s Botswana’s Mmamashia feed mill last November and the company pledged 2 000 chicks.

President Masisi could not attend the ceremony due to other work commitments.

In addition to the 200 day-old broiler chicks each farmer received, they were also given two 200 kg maxi value starter feeds and offered a day’s training.

Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao said with government intervention, small scale poultry producers had grown significantly over the years. He also said poultry import restrictions had produced good results and that the country was self-sufficient in poultry production.

He added that they were in the process of constructing poultry abattoirs to serve farmers in different districts countrywide.

For his part, Irvine’s Botswana chief executive officer, Mr Andre Hoffman thanked President Masisi and government for the support and enabling environment for their business to flourish.

He said their business, an integrated poultry production system with a breeder farm and hatchery, produced day-old broiler chicks.

He also said they had established themselves in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

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