A poultry farming development project has launched in Lagos with the support of the BATN Foundation.

The new initiative is aimed at professional training for both novice and existing farmers. The training includes mastering modern production technologies, farm management techniques, agribusiness principles, and biosecurity issues. 40 participants specializing in layer poultry farming will receive additional support to scale their businesses.

The project is a continuation of an eight-year collaboration between the BATN Foundation and the Lagos State Government. The partnership began in 2018 with the "Fingerlings to Fork" program, aimed at developing aquaculture. From 2018 to 2025, 1,436 fish farmers were trained and provided with production equipment, including tarpaulin-covered ponds and fish smoking kilns.

According to the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, local production currently accounts for about 25% of food consumed, but authorities intend to increase this figure to 50%. The development of the poultry sector is seen as a key tool for improving access to animal protein, creating jobs, and strengthening agricultural value chains.

BATN Foundation Executive Director Oludare Odusanya noted that the effective development of the industry requires not only training but also providing farmers with practical tools to increase the commercial viability of their farms. Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, Emmanuel Audu, emphasized that the successful experience of implementing the program in the aquaculture sector became the foundation for expanding cooperation into the poultry sector. LSADA Program Manager Aderonke Toju-Tubi added that the project will help strengthen agricultural extension services by introducing modern production methods.