The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) said it has harvested 25000 liters of urine from over 5000 rabbits that would be used as organic fertilizer for its farms.
This is even as it is also expecting to get 1,360,000 rabbits from the 17,000 that it shared among its farmers in a year, while the programme will be extended to five states.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Prince Paul Ikonne revealed this on Saturday in Owerri, Imo state, during the unveiling of Rabbit Waste Organic Fertilizer harvested from rabbits in four pilot states in the country.
According to the CEO, the authority is expected to harvest 2,142,000 liters of urine within a year.
“The rabbit rearing program was kick off about 3 months ago after Mr. President flagged off National Young Farmers Scheme (NYFS) in November 2020. The pilot states for the program are Imo, Abia, Oyo and Cross River.
“As at today (Saturday), NALDA has been able to harvest over 25000 litter of urine from over 5,000 rabbit which is to serve as organic fertilizer to support NALDA young farmer’s in their various farms at zero cost.
“All the NALDA farmers who do submit their urine to various collection centers are been paid to courage them on the business viability of rabbit farm business.
Rabbit Urine as Organic fertilizer,” he said
“It on this backdrop, that the program will be extended to other states and also increase the number of participants in the existing states.”
Analysing the prospect Ikonne said with a total of five rabbits given to farmers on five per farmers bases, in three months, 85000 will be distributed, while 10 rabbits kits per rabbits per gestation period and 20 rabbits is expected to be recovered from each farmers within thesame period amounting to 340000 rabbits in three months, 680000 in six months and 1360000 in a year.
Ikonne further said the federal government in its efforts to engage more youths in the agricultural value chain launched rabbit farming in November last year with Imo, Abia, Cross River and Oyo as pilot states for the programme.
The Imo State Executive Coordinator NALDA Mr. Amanze Ofor stated that about one hundred and eight youths are currently participating in the programme in the state noting that the beneficiaries get paid immediately they turn in urine harvested from the rabbits.
