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North West Agriculture and Rural Development MEC, Desbo Mohono has committed herself to alleviating household food insecurity in the province by continuously giving support to indigent households with inputs that will ensure quality  production of nutritious goods. Evident to this and to conclude Women's Month, indigenous chickens were handed over to women headed households in Shaleng and Madipelesa, Greater Taung Municipality.

Eight (8) houses received fifty (50) chickens each and five (5) bags of feed during the official hand over. A total of thirty (30) families are earmarked to benefit from this programme and the remaining twenty two (22) will receive their chickens within the coming days.

Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Director, Tebogo Molema says while some of these households are poor they might experience food security by means of own food production and the selection of indigenous chickens is due to traits that enable them to survive in intense weather conditions, disease resistance, excellent feed conversion ratio and compared to other chickens, these are leaner with more nutrient-dense meat as well as the ratio of yolk to white is higher, improving the overall nutrient density of the egg, overall achieving the main objective of providing nutritious food at low cost for poor and low income families.

Beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the department's dedication to improve the livelihoods of houses headed by females. “We are a family of eight with only one person employed, however, his salary is unable to provide for basic needs throughout the month. This chickens will help us a lot as we will be able to multiply them to enable us to feed ourselves” said thirty four (34) year old Elen Moitse.

Unemployed mother of four, Nkamogelang Motabogi says she's grateful for the support government afforded her as she will be able to put food on the table for her children. “I intend on selling some of these chickens as they multiply to assist with daily needs such buying toiletries, electricity and other things that we need” said Motabogi.

Issued by The North West Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development