Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa state has launched a goat breeding and rearing micro-credit program for widows in Gwaram Local Government of the state with no fewer than 220 widows benefitted.
Speaking at the launching of the program over the weekend in Gwaram, Governor Muhammad Badaru said the scheme which provides three goats (a male and two female) to a widow will be given to twenty beneficiaries in each of the 287 wards in the 27 Local Government Areas of the state, bringing the total of goats to be distributed to more than 17,000.
According to the governor, the duration of the loan is eighteen months after which all the beneficiaries will return the three goats given to them, added that every goat delivers every six months in twos, three or more.
His words:- “Therefore a beneficiary is sure of at least twelve kids at the end the 18 months term of the loan, more than five thousand widows will benefit yearly from the returns of the beneficiaries.”
The governor at the occasion presented the goats as sample to one of the beneficiaries, a blind widow Malama Binta Abdullahi, said the scheme is part of his promise to create employment in the state and agriculture is the best means of job creation in a state where more than 80% of the people are involved in agricultural production.
The Governor also said there is a corn-stalk shredding and grinding machine to be provided for each ward. The loan beneficiaries will trade the manure of their goats with farmers who will give them corn stalk for grinding which is a by-products of their crops.
The grinded stalk will be used in feeding the goats that would be stationed at a place instead of roaming about losing their droppings. Their being kept at a place would also enhanced their sizes, productivity and enriched their droppings with urea from their urine, which improves soil fertility.
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