MICHAEL EJOVWOKE OMOKIRI hails from Ughelli North Local Government Area and is the CEO of Myke Reen Agro Enterprise located in Ughelli. He has a BSC.ED from the Delta State University. He enrolled in the Delta State Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) in the 2015/2016 Cycle, the pioneer set; he was trained and established to own and run a poultry enterprise.
Despite the challenges associated with poultry business, he has sustained his and distinguished himself from his peers. As an enterprising young man, not only did he diversify into Piggery and Fish Production, he has also acquired landed property and lives in his own house. He is a consultant, an entrepreneur, a trainer and an employer. He tells his story.
“I was established with 400 point of lay birds, 200 day old broilers, 145 bags of feeds, a poultry pen equipped with battery cages and its accessories right in a private land. I lost 50 of the layer birds immediately after delivery and I was left with 350 which I reared successfully.
“Since establishment, I have achieved a lot and made lots of progress in my life and family. I have consistently stocked layers and sold them off every two years. At some point, I made ₦4,000 daily and at the peak ₦5,000 as profit after expenditure from the sale of eggs till the birds are sold off as old layers.
“I diversified into Piggery and Fish Production to expand my business and to increase my streams of income. Livestock business is lucrative. I sold some piglets and a soar four days ago. I currently have 17 pigs in my piggery and 5,500 fish of various growth stages stocked in two giant size concrete fish tanks and an earthen fish pond.
“I suffered a major setback last year when all my layer birds and broilers were wipe away by bird flu. Nevertheless, I have booked for 150 day old broilers for a start.
“I have two staff I pay ₦10,000 monthly and have trained three persons who have established their own farms.
“I am blessed. I am a landlord. I live in my own house, comprising a three-bedroom apartment and two self-contained apartments on a 100 X 100 plot of land I acquired and built out of the proceeds from my livestock business. I also bought one acre of land for the purpose of expansion in future.
“I have gained lots of experience in livestock farming in the past six years. I want to appreciate Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the initiative of supporting the youths to harness their hidden potentials.”
Written by Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh.