Experts in the poultry industry on Wednesday said poultry production can improve Nigeria’s economy and enhance the nation’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), if properly harnessed by the federal government.
They also stressed that massive opportunities that abound in the industry can change the unemployment narrative in the nation and as well alleviate poverty among Nigerians.
They spoke at a seminar organised for farmers in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, by the Vanguard Pharmacy Limited with the theme: ‘Gaining An Edge In Poultry Business.
The Chief Executive Officer of Vanguard Pharmacy, Odukoya Taofik stated that the programme was an initiative conceived to train farmers and make them more productive towards boosting the economy and creating massive employment in the country.
Odukoya stressed that for the nation to make a fortune through poultry production, the government and private sector must render massive support for poultry farmers in terms of training and investment in the sector.
Odukoya said “poultry production in Nigeria today is an area that needs massive support not just from the government, but also from private sector and if we can take our poultry production from what it is today by eliminating some challenges facing the sector, improvement on the part of farmers and production of enough eggs for consumption, can also create massive employment”.
“We know that as a nation, we cannot produce everything we need, but we have our own area of strength. If properly harnessed, we can use it to ensure that we don’t only feed ourselves, but can be a way to export and earn foreign exchange”.
“This programme was our way of giving back to the society. We started this idea almost eight years ago and we have had different series like this in Ogun State. It is to educate the farmers because if there are no farmers, there’s no nation. We are educating them on best practices so that they can improve their businesses”.
On his part, the Guest speaker at the programme, James Baba Wageti argued that a nation cannot exist without farmers, hence the need for the government to invest in the poultry industry.
He noted that the nation can make enormously wealth from poultry businesses if taken seriously by the federal government, this Wageti said, can place Nigeria on the prosperity page like the first world nations of the world.
“Poultry business has a lot of benefits only if we can see it. The opportunities in the industry can bring fortune for Nigeria. Government should invest in it.”