The nation’s feed production has experienced a significant decline, plunging from approximately 4.5 million metric tonnes to 3.8 metric tonnes.
Over the past two years alone, the country has lost around 0.7 million metric tonnes due to the exorbitant costs of key ingredients like maize for feed production.
However, Mr. Olufemi Atunbi, Head of the Inspectorate and Compliance Department for feed production at NIAS, revealed these alarming statistics during a compelling one-day workshop held in Umuahia, Abia State.
The workshop, focused on developing risk-based inspection protocols across various livestock value chains, was jointly organized by NIAS and Promex Multi-Services Nigeria Ltd.
Atunbi emphasized the urgent need for cultivating Feed Grade Maize, akin to what is done in America, to address the dwindling production levels. Despite the challenges, he lauded Nigeria’s poultry industry as one of the most organized and economically viable sectors, boasting an impressive yearly income of $4 billion. He highlighted poultry’s substantial contribution to the nation’s agricultural GDP, accounting for 25 per cent of the total 35 per cent in 2022.
A pivotal aspect of the workshop was the introduction of a regulatory instrument for poultry known as ‘Farmsured Technology.’ This innovative technology aims to combat the myriad challenges confronting the poultry industry, such as the adulteration of day-old chicks and the overall enhancement of poultry quality and output nationwide. Atunbi stressed the importance of awareness creation and sensitization among farmers, students, researchers, and the business community regarding the identification and sourcing of genuine day-old chicks.
On her part, Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Professor Monica Ironkwe, commended NIAS for its proactive efforts in organizing the workshop, acknowledging the neglect that animal production has faced. She emphasized the crucial role of experts in revitalizing the industry and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to rejuvenating animal science production. Ironkwe highlighted the dependency of Nigerians on farmers and advocated for collective efforts to promote agriculture at all levels.
Addressing the declining population of poultry farmers in the country, Atunbi attributed this trend to the myriad challenges faced by producers, particularly the escalating costs of production and inputs, notably the high cost of feed.
