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From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Hope has risen for livestock farmers in the South East as the Enugu State Government, in partnership with foreign organisations, is constructing a standard regional veterinary teaching hospital to serve the region.
Governor Peter Mba who disclosed this yesterday while declaring open the 2024 Poultry Summit and Expo of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, South East zone, in Enugu, said the project was meant to de-risk the livestock value chain, as it would provide support to existing livestock farmer and create room for expansion and new investments into the sector.
Mba, who was represented by the Commissioner for agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Patrick Ubru, lamented the setback suffered by the sector, assuring of a better business for the farmers.
“Over the years, our livestock sector has suffered a huge setback due to lack of access to modern management practices, disease diagnosis, prevention and control, access to international distribution networks, among others. On this premise, I am happy to announce the construction of a standard regional veterinary hospital in partnership with our international friends to de-risk the livestock value chain.”
Noting that the poultry sector remained a crucial component of our agriculture value chain, Mba said it was responsible not only for providing high-quality protein through eggs and poultry meat, but also for creating livelihood for many people, adding that their critical role in driving the progress of the sector cannot be overemphasised.
“The poultry industry faces many challenges that test our resolve, ranging from rising cost of feed to diseases and market pressures. Yet, through your resilience and innovation, you have continued to thrive and support the economy of our states.
“As part of our strategies to lower the high cost of feed, this administration is partnering with some private commercial farmers to cultivate maize, soybean, etc to support feed production and ensure a sustainable supply of feed for our poultry.
“We are equally keen on working with associations such as PAN to promote training and capacity building initiatives that will introduce modern practices and technologies to further boost productivity and profitability. We can overcome the hurdles before us and set the poultry industry in Enugu State on a path of greatness.”
In his address, the National Vice President, South East (PAN), Sir Izuolisa Onu, lamented many challenges and problems facing the industry which include, “the scarcity and high cost of raw materials, especially maize, Soya beans and others.
“The deregulation of the pump prices of petroleum products: petrol and diesel. The merger of the official and parallel market rates for the exchange of dollars to the Naira and
the seeming no attention of the Federal and State Governments to the plight of poultry farmers and the poultry industry.
“The increase in the electricity tariff by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) without due consultation with the stakeholders and the general public.”
He noted that the poultry industry was the most commercialised sector in the livestock industry in Nigeria, adding that it contributes about 25 percent of the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (AGDP), a figure that would rise after the ongoing rebasing of data in the agro sector.
He said the industry is worth over N12 trillion and provides about 25 million direct and indirect employment to Nigerians.
Onu explained that the summit and expo affords farmers the platform to connect to better and modern poultry practices and equipment.
The National President of PAN, Chief Sunday Ezeobiora, noted that the poultry industry has not had it as bad as in the last five years.
Ezeobiora, who was represented by the National Vice President, South South, Willie Edet Kon, said: “It is no longer news to all of us that the industry has not witnessed it so bad, like in the last five years: COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown that followed, the Naira redesign policy of President Buhari and Emefiele, the removal of petroleum subsidy and the floatation of the Naira and the worst is the increase in electricity tariffs. All these have contributed to the negative growth and dwindling fortune of the poultry industry.”
