Two hundred women in Jigawa State have been supported with poultry birds, feed and medication under the EMPOWER-Her Poultry Project of the BATN Foundation.

The initiative, launched in Dutse, the state capital, on September 4, 2026, is designed to help women in rural communities establish sustainable poultry businesses and improve household incomes and food security.

The beneficiaries received Noiler birds, poultry feed and medication after completing training in poultry production and enterprise management.

The foundation disclosed this in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Wednesday.

The project is being implemented in partnership with the Jigawa State Government and development partners, with emphasis on providing women with productive assets and practical skills to run poultry enterprises.

Speaking at the inauguration, BATN Foundation Project Manager, Adetola Oniyelu, said the intervention was structured to provide beneficiaries with more than agricultural inputs by helping them develop sustainable income-generating ventures.

Oniyelu said the programme would enable participating women to build productive businesses, earn income, support household food needs and improve their economic resilience.

She added that encouraging women to engage in poultry production would create sustainable livelihood opportunities while increasing their contribution to their families and communities.

The training provided to the beneficiaries was aimed at equipping them with practical knowledge to properly manage the birds and operate their poultry ventures as businesses.

Poultry farming also offers rural households opportunities to earn income from the sale of eggs and meat, while improving access to animal protein and contributing to household nutrition.

Government officials at the event urged the beneficiaries to regard the birds and other materials provided under the programme as productive assets and ensure they are properly managed to sustain the businesses.

The event was attended by the Jigawa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Muttaka Namadi; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hadiza Abdulwahab; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Auwalu Ado Shehu; Oniyelu and other stakeholders.