By Yero S. Bah
As Gambians are beginning to realize the importance of self-employment and entrepreneurship, citizens are getting into the field of entrepreneurship in large numbers.
Mr. Musa A. Sowe graduated with a Degree in Business Management, coupled with fluency in French and Spanish. He is among those innovative entrepreneurs who run some poultry businesses for years in this country.
Sowe told this medium that, his poultry business started in a family backyard in 2004, as he was experimenting the trade with different traditional systems of subsistence farming. But the farm developed in 2014 from a backyard poultry adventure to an extensive commercial broiler and egg production farm. This, he explained, was in response to a rising demand for meat and eggs in order to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population.
The farm is located in Bakoteh, in the Greater Banjul Area, and Sowe said he manages a range of other family businesses too.
“I have a capacity of 4000 broilers and 1000 layers in deep litter,” the poultry manager claimed, as he dilates on the numerous success stories he was able to register so far. He disclosed that the initial birds he started with the business were just 150 broilers and layers, noting that the business grew up from that number to the capacity of 4000 broilers birds and 1000 layers.
Besides, a plot of land was bought in Kitty Village from the business, which saw the rapid expansion of the opportunities of the business, he added, pointing to the construction of a new poultry house as well as a living quarter for expansion.
Some of the challenges, he said he’s facing are global economic downturn that impact negatively on household spending coupled with “unfavorable government policies for poultry farmers”. According to him, he is now raising capital to finance key investments on various processing equipment as well as a solar powered water source, suitable storage equipment and a supply of production inputs.
The poultry producer further explained that his targets in the next five years, is to expand his markets by increasing current sales, expansion of customer base where he would cover hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, local market vendors, and individual households.
He also hopes to increase competiveness and access to the domestic poultry markets by improving on quality and safety of their products through complying with sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements and host of other targets.
He continued, “At Hobby Farm, we are professionals within our area of operations, creative, result driven, customer-centered, and ready to work hard to help build a prosperous business that will benefit all stakeholders, the owners, workforce, and our valued customers.” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, as a poultry business owner, he intends to pursue a sustainable socioeconomic development in the Gambia by reorganizing the need to balance social,economic and environmental aspects.
However, the global coronavirus has affected his poultry business like numerous others in the country, lamenting this has negatively impacted households spending thereby decreasing sales and supply of production inputs.
Sowe advised aspiring entrepreneurs that, dedication is required in everything one does, while urging his colleagues in the business to never turn back despite the challenges they are facing. He posited that they need to outline their programs and plans as they get into the business to register successes in the future.
