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BY ABUSATAR HAMED
ILARO-YEWA – A peaceful rally was held on Wednesday, August 16, 2023 in Ilaro-Yewa, Ogun State, by the Poultry Association of Nigeria Ogun State (PANOG), Yewa Zone, to express the unbearable hardship that the poultry farmers are going through in Yewa, Ogun State and Nigeria in general, as a result of extremely high cost of production and ridiculously low sales.
In a chat with StarTrend Int’l Magazine and online – www.startrendinternational.com, the Chairman of Poultry Association of Nigeria, Yewa Zone, Dr Idris Babatunde Allinson, emphasized on the serious consequences of neglecting the Multi billion naira industry and allowing it to collapse, saying, “some of which include increase in the rate of unemployment, rise in crime, decrease in the nations GDP, further reduction in the value of naira as well as further increase in protein malnutrition, since poultry products still remains the cheapest and best source of nutritional protein.”
Allison however suggested some temporary and permanent solutions as follows;
A). Temporary, immediate and short term solutions:
1. Quick and responsive action to our plight by the government.
2. Temporary importation with exemption from duties, as well as government intervention with the Nigerian Customs to release all held maize at borders across Southwest to save the multi-billion naira industry from an imminent total collapse.
3. Government to purchase chicken and eggs to be included as part of nutrition for schools, hospitals, correctional centres and Palliative packages.
Such direct purchase should be from real farmers through the Poultry Association of Nigeria (at the current realistic price of eggs and chicken according to prevailing cost of production). To reduce prevailing egg glut.
B). Permanent long term solutions:
4. Egg powder production in Nigeria should be facilitated and encouraged.
More investors would go into poultry production in large scale with no skeptical mind about sales of their products
– Break monopoly by decentralizing massive grain production across the country with adequate machines, including driers and collaboration with Poultry association as part of major off- takers
This will also discourage urban migrations.
– This Massive grains production in Nigeria would be using latest technology (massive procurement of implement, hybrid seeds, fertilizer and chemicals).
– Engaging the Universities of Agriculture and Research Institutes within Nigeria and possibly outside Nigeria in the grain production.
6. The machinery and tractors could be assembled in Nigeria to create employment and boost our economy at large.
7. Dealing with the right set of people is very important, not just outsiders with no knowledge and passion for improving Agriculture in Nigeria.
e.g. Farmers Co-op and Association. And of course a well coordinated follow up from the top
8. Security is a major issue with grain production; hence adequate security measures needed to be put in place, e.g, use of Drones and CCTV cameras.
Poultry can only survive on excess grains.
9. Massive reorientation of the populace to eat freshly prepared eggs and chicken to promote healthy feeding and subsequently improving employment and boost the economy.
10. Making Agricultural science as a compulsory subject right from primary school to secondary school and include it as part of NYSC activities.
Since everyone must eat, we should encourage the knowledge and passion for the production of the food.
