The Chairman of PAN, Southwest Zone, Rev. Oluleye Olugbeja, made the decision on the 3-day Nigeria Poultry Show 2026 held on the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Speaking on the occasion, which attracted over 100 distributors and exhibitors from Nigeria, China, India, Belgium and Germany, Olugbeja stated some farmers had deserted their farms due to kidnapping, warning that insecurity was discouraging folks from farming at a time Nigeria wants to enhance meals manufacturing.
On meals safety, Olugbeja, who doubles because the PAN National Vice President, Southwest, stated authorities should deal with meals as nationwide safety, asserting {that a} nation can’t assure sustainable peace and stability whether it is unable to adequately feed its inhabitants.
Olugbeja asserted that insecurity was discouraging folks from going into farming at a time when Nigeria urgently wanted to enhance home meals manufacturing.
“Food security doesn’t just come by mouth. Just as you are pumping money into external security and securing our borders, that is the way we should also pump money into securing food within our entire country,” he stated.
Representing the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Mr Richard Umbara stated the Federal Government recognised the significance of the poultry business to Nigeria’s economic system and was dedicated to partnering with stakeholders to transfer the sector ahead.
Umbara stated the federal government was significantly involved in regards to the extended ready interval confronted by farmers attempting to acquire day-old chicks, noting that some producers at present watch for a number of months after making funds earlier than receiving chicks.
He assured poultry farmers that the federal government was taking steps to tackle avian influenza and different ailments affecting the sector, stressing that the ministry was participating related stakeholders to strengthen illness surveillance and response.
Also, Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Mr Ayo Sotinrin, represented by Mr Durojaye David, stated the poultry business, valued at about ₦1.9 trillion, remained a serious contributor to Nigeria’s agricultural economic system, with a major proportion of its actions concentrated within the Southwest.
He famous that the business’s development was intently linked to the efficiency of Nigeria’s crop manufacturing, significantly maize, soybean and sorghum, which represent important elements for poultry feed.
Sotinrin stated fluctuations within the provide and costs of these commodities immediately affected the price of producing eggs and poultry meat and in the end influenced meals costs.
He assured stakeholders that the financial institution was ready to construction financing to assist varied levels of the agricultural worth chain as soon as the funds grew to become obtainable.
Meanwhile, Country Market Lead of the United States Soybean Export Council, USSEC, in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, Dr Foluso Alabi, stated challenges dealing with poultry producers, together with excessive feed prices, forex volatility, local weather disruptions, illness dangers and supply-chain bottlenecks, weren’t peculiar to Nigeria however have been affecting livestock producers throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and different elements of the world.
Earlier in his tackle, Chairman, Planning Committee, Dr Olalekan Odunsi, stated the theme of the present, “Building a Sustainable and Resilient Poultry Industry in Challenging Times”, mirrored the realities confronting the sector and inspired stakeholders to concentrate on sensible options, funding and growth.
He additionally urged Nigerian stakeholders to take benefit of trendy applied sciences, funding alternatives, collaboration and data trade obtainable by means of the exhibition.
