Fish farmers in Ebute Afuye in Epe, Lagos, recently received huge support from a CSR initiative sponsored by CFAO Group through CFAO Yamaha Motor Nigeria Limited in partnership with HEDA Resource Centre, a local NGO. The empowerment programme, which was launched on February 18, 2021, in Epe, is expected to provide aquaculture training, extension service support and highly nutritious floating fish feed for the farming season for 20 beneficiaries in a revolving loan format that will see other members of the Ire-Akari Fish Farmers Association take turns at accessing the fund.
Sulaimon Arigbabu, executive secretary, HEDA Resource Centre, expressed joy in the initiative and assured the community that HEDA would continue to work at bringing partnerships and initiatives that will empower the average fish farmer and ensure they get maximum returns in their fish farming operations.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Agriculture, who was represented at the event by Emmanuel Audu, assistant director of Fisheries Services, said Lagos State is happy with this initiative and would provide support by assigning agriculture extension officers who would periodically visit the beneficiaries to provide technical support for their fishing operation to ensure they get a bumper harvest at the end of the farming season. Emmanuel also enjoined the leadership of Ire Akari Fish Farmers Association to closely monitor and support the beneficiaries to ensure the support provided by CFAO Yamaha is maximally utilised.
Victor Momodu, marketing lead, CFAO Yamaha, disclosed that the support provided for the fish farmers is in line with CFAO Group’s commitment to Nigeria and Africa, the group’s mission is to contribute to economic growth that develops faster than demographic growth, contribute to the industrialisation of the continent and the emergence of the middle class by creating jobs and manufacturing affordable products.
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On their part, the fish farmers thanked CFAO Yamaha Motor Nigeria Limited and HEDA Resource Centre for the initiative, which according to them, will be very helpful in improving the beneficiaries income through increased productivity. Jelili Alausa, chairman of the fish farmers, and Sikiru Ajetunmobi, one of the beneficiaries, both spoke on behalf of the fish farmers and pledged to ensure the success of the project so that it could attract other support and partnerships to their association and community.
