Nigeria’s poultry farmers demand urgent action over rising costs, feed shortages

He said the poultry show would expose farmers and other industry players to new technologies, research findings and investment opportunities aimed at improving productivity and reducing food costs.

The event would also provide opportunities for farmers to engage with financial institutions and investors on accessing funding to expand their businesses.

“We are using this as our own sector to make sure that we help the nation to bring down the cost of food, provide enough availability of food and protein sufficiency for the entire nation,” Olugbeja said.

Participants are expected to learn about modern equipment, improved feeding technologies, precision

farming, data-driven production, organic farming systems and better biosecurity practices.

Exhibitors and experts from the US, Europe, China, India, Israel and Australia are also expected to showcase innovations and technologies.

Olugbeja said the event was not limited to large-scale farmers, adding that feed millers, veterinary drug manufacturers and sellers, animal scientists, logistics providers, entrepreneurs and young people interested in poultry and livestock production could also benefit.

He described the sector as a major source of employment and a potential driver of industrialisation in Nigeria’s agricultural economy.

Also speaking, the chairman of the Nigerian Poultry Show and a poultry farmer, Dr Olalekan Odunsi, said the annual event was designed to help farmers establish business connections, find solutions to their challenges and engage directly with government officials, financial institutions and industry experts.

“This event is largely put together so that farmers can have a breather, make connections and have solutions to their problems”.

He said the organisers expected the minister of livestock development, the national coordinator of AIRPRES, Abubakar Sani, and the managing director of the Bank of Agriculture to attend. The Ogun state government was also expected to participate.

Odunsi identified insecurity, high grain prices, inadequate financing, disease outbreaks, insufficient insurance cover ,and shortages of day-old chicks, particularly pullets, as major concerns for poultry farmers.

He said feed accounted for about 75% of poultry production costs, making access to affordable grains crucial to the survival of businesses in the sector.

“If feed is not made available, it will be a challenge,” he said, calling for measures to reduce the cost of feed production.

Odunsi also urged the government and financial institutions to improve access to affordable agricultural loans, including financing at single-digit interest rates, to help farmers expand production and meet the country’s demand for food.

“A lot of farmers need to expand so that we can feed the populace, but finance is a challenge. How do we bring down the interest rate to a bearable amount?” he asked.

He expressed concern about disease outbreaks and the lack of adequate insurance protection for poultry businesses, urging insurers to develop products that would cover losses caused by disease and other unforeseen events.

He pointed out that the rising cost and shortage of day-old chicks, particularly pullets, were also increasing the financial burden on farmers .

Odunsi noted that the cost of raising pullets from day-old chicks to point-of-lay had become increasingly expensive, while broiler chick prices had also risen considerably.

He said government intervention and stronger collaboration among stakeholders were needed to ease the pressure on farmers and make poultry production more sustainable.

The organisers were also working with security agencies to address insecurity, which they said had made some farmers increasingly reluctant to visit their farms.

They urged poultry farmers, prospective entrants, young people, investors, businesses, researchers and other stakeholders across the livestock value chain to attend the November event.

Participants are expected to explore new technologies, establish business partnerships, access information on funding opportunities and learn practical approaches to improving efficiency and profitability.