The Ogun State government says it will not rest on it oars at providing solutions to lingering challenges facing poultry farmers in the state, especially through special intervention programmes aimed at improving their lots and the general public in order to return agriculture to its glorious day.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Bolu Owotomo dropped the hint at the 12th edition of Nigeria Poultry Show 2023, organized by the Nigeria Poultry Association of Nigeria, with the theme: “Mitigating the Challenges of the poultry Industry: Current Perspective, the role of the government and the private sector” held at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Owotomo, according to the Ministry’s Press Officer, Ms. Morolayo Fadairo, maintained that the Federal and the State Government were not unmindful of the numerous challenges faced by poultry Industry, one of which is high cost of feed, saying that the interest in poultry products have grown tremendously across the state under the leadership of prince Dapo Abiodun.
The Commissioner emphasized some areas of intervention by the state government to include creating enabling environment with adequate security, collaborating with big players in the industry to run broiler, out grower scheme at Odeda farm institute and the proposal to replicate same across the state.
Other intervention according to him, include, encouraging cluster farming for maize farmers to ensure regular supply of maize used in the production of feeds for the poultry Industry.
In her goodwill message, Lagos state Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Abisola Olusanya appreciated the organizer of the show and assured that the challenging period in the sector would be overcome, noting that government has a major role to play in the sector.
Contributing, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Samuel Adeogun added that it was important to adhere to enforcement in poultry farming to maintain the industry standard, enjoining them to follow all guidelines and enforced regulations.
In their various remarks, the President, Poultry Association of Nigeria, Chief Sunday Obiora and the Southwestern Chairman, Rev. Gideon Oluleye stressed that the importance of poultry sector cannot be overemphasized as the sector has contributed greatly in the area of employment generation amongst other, appealing to the government to intervene in the areas of providing financial window of long term lending to farmers.
They implored the government to increase budgetary allocation to agricultural sector while government financial agricultural policies should be designed in a way that would not affect poultry sector negatively among other measures.
