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The Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASAN) and the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) have advocated increased funding for research and development in the poultry and livestock sector to address the issues of feed shortages, low breed potentials and management deficiencies.
The call was contained in a communique jointly signed by members of the communique drafting committee, Professor Ibisime Etela (Chairman), Professor Olusegun Ojebiyi (Secretary) and Alhaji Ismaila Jibrin Bojude (Member), after the 11th ASAN-NIAS joint annual meeting and the 27th ASAN annual conference, held at Zaranda International Hotel, Bauchi, Bauchi State recently.
Other key policy recommendations contained in the communique include: promotion of organic livestock production to retard or prevent rapid deterioration of pasture land and arable land for food crop production.
The two bodies also noted that increased adoption of agroforestry (browse plants intercropped with food crops) should be encouraged to sustain feed supplies and enhance afforestation, especially in the dryer parts of the country that are threatened by desertification.
ASAN and NIAS also posited that there should be increased regional specialisation across agroecological zones in Nigeria to help develop the livestock value chain as a way to reduce frequent movements of livestock and incessant resource-based conflicts.
The communique concluded that National Animal Identification and Traceability System should be established to support poultry, livestock and aquaculture research and development in ICT to foster climate smart Animal Agricultire and security of stock.
In his opening remark, Chairman of the occasion, Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro, expressed appreciation for granting Bauchi the hosting rights for 2022 ASAN-NIAS Joint Annual Meeting noting the strategic position of Bauchi State within the livestock sector.
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Borogo emphasised the need to subsidise livestock production sector in Nigeria to create the needed business environment for increased productivity.
In his speech, the Special Guest of Honour, Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela, described Bauchi State as the livestock-friendly state.
He stated that, the government of the State is making effort to restore the livestock value chain for improved productivity and availability of affordable meat.
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