Introducing: The Feminist Coalition Farming Initiative
According to the World Bank, 95.1 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty — surviving on less than $1.90/NGN1,200 daily, whilst another 25% are vulnerable. The IMF goes on to say that women constitute over 60% of the poorest people in Nigeria, translating to over 57 million women living in extreme poverty.
Women also make up 57% of the 33% of Nigerians that are unemployed, according to Nigeria’s Bureau of Statistics.
In the 2021 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranks 103rd out of 116 countries. With a score of 28.3, Nigeria has a level of hunger that is serious. Nigeria is also the second poorest in food affordability globally according to the Institute of Development Studies.
Now more than ever, affordable, accessible food is important. The consequences are greatest for women and children, with many poor mothers, as primary caregivers, currently fighting to protect their kids from malnutrition.
To address these challenges, we partnered with Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Ltd, a Nigerian poultry company that created the Noiler Chicken. The Noiler Chicken is a dual-purpose chicken breed that produces 4 times more eggs and 3 times more meat than other chicken breeds native to Nigeria.
Amo Farms developed this breed to address issues of infant and maternal mortality, food insecurity and hunger, especially among women and children. With poverty and food insecurity on the rise in Nigeria, rearing Noilers can provide families with more stability.
Since June 2022, we’ve been running a pilot program in Ikorodu, Lagos State. 10 women are currently taking part — a majority of whom are single mothers and widows. Each beneficiary received 20 chicks — so they can rear some for the sale and keep some for their own consumption, while using part of their revenue to purchase more Noiler chicks. And the cycle continues.
We’re also currently supporting each beneficiary with a bag of chicken feed every two months, for six months, while the Noiler team is providing consistent poultry rearing training for all beneficiaries. Through weekly evaluation reports and regular calls, we’ve been able to learn exactly how to make this project successful.
Based on the success of this pilot, over the next few years we plan to empower more low-income women across Nigeria through several SME & farming projects including poultry rearing.
We hope that Noiler’s can serve both as a source of income and nutrition for women in need and their families.
The results of this project so far have been promising. We will continue to double down on sustainable initiatives that help girls and women move a step closer to self-sustainability.
