The people of Central Bougainville will no longer pay much for imported day-old chickens.
In a first of its kind in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, the Kerei Integrated Poultry Project in Central Bougainville has successfully hatched its first batch of 960 day-old chickens.
The project is the brainchild of Linus Dakei, chairman of North Nasioi council of elders (NNCOE) from 2010 to 2011, and members of the local level government.
Dakei and NNCOE first came up with the idea of establishing a hatchery in Kieta district after they realized that the cost of importing day-old chickens was high and many chickens died during transportation.
Despite such challenges, people have continued to raise chickens, as there is a considerable demand for this source of protein in Bougainville.
However, the cost of locally raised chickens has been high due to the costs involved including that of chicken feed.
Due to such a cost factor, livestock feed production and an abattoir are other projects that the people of Kieta district with support of the Member for Central Bougainville will be seeking funds for.
Dakei said that hopefully the cost of locally reared chickens would be lowered with the hatchery providing day-old chickens locally.
Central Bougainville MP Jimmy Miringtoro funded the project at the cost of K350,000.
The funds were used for the building that housed the hatchery, fencing, ablution block and two incubators.
The project is expected to expand and will upgrade the current establishment to cater for the growing demand for day-old chickens.