Global Animal Nutrition Programme launches pilot in Nigeria

The International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) is pleased to announce the launch of the IFIF Global Animal Nutrition Programme “Train the Trainer” pilot in Nigeria. Supported by the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), the program is based on the IFIF FAO Feed Manual of Good Practices for the Feed Industry, focused on increasing safety and feed quality at the production level. It brings together over 30 representatives from the Nigerian feed industries, who will act as multipliers by sharing the training with colleagues throughout Nigeria.
Developed by IFIF in 2015, the Train the Trainer program is designed to raise capacities for feed safety in developing regions by training key individuals who can then act as trainers on site within a country. This reflects IFIF’s mission to promote science-based solutions and information sharing for the feed industry, as well as stimulate the adoption of international standards and global equivalency.
Alexandra de Athayde, IFIF executive director, explains, “We are pleased that we were able to launch the pilot of the IFIF Global Animal Nutrition Programme in Nigeria, a key player in agriculture in Africa, with the support of NIAS and the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. IFIF members represent over 80% of animal feed production worldwide and capacity development for feed safety is one of the key priorities for IFIF.”
De Athayde added, “IFIF now has the opportunity to evaluate the learnings from the pilot program in Nigeria, and based on that, take the program to other parts of the world to support, train and develop local feed industry to raise feed and food safety standards globally.”
Dr. Godwin Oyediji, registrar and chief executive of the NIAS, said, “Current laws in Nigeria are still weak and some are without enforcement powers. But Nigeria is making steady progress on feed legislation to achieve international benchmarks for animal feed safety and human food safety.” Dr. Oyediji added, “The industry is being mobilized to embrace the FAO/IFIF Code of Practice for Good Animal Feeding and other Codex standards on traceability, contaminants and HACCP.”

Nigeria fights poultry smuggling amid avian flu cases

The authorities in Nigeria are struggling to bring a halt to the smuggling of frozen poultry products, according to Customs Today. The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said it has destroyed more than 1,500 cartons of illegal products in one week’s time. Since Operation Hawk Descend was initiated in early July to combat smuggled poultry products, almost 6,700 cartons of goods have been seized and destroyed.
The president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Architect Kabiru Ibrahim, has urged the federal government to clamp down on poultry meat imports in order to protect local producers.
“I have enough quantity of chicken in my farm waiting for customers to come and buy. Chicken is also available in various farms across the country. So, there is no need for importation or smuggling,” Ibrahim told Daily Trust.
Over the past week, Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has reported six new outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). In total, 6,441 birds from farms and backyard flocks died or were destroyed in the outbreaks, which were all in the southern states of Lagos, Delta and Rivers.

Nigeria officials: Report sick birds instead of selling them

Ministry of Agriculture officials in the Nigerian state of Plateau are warning poultry producers to refrain from selling sick birds to desperate marketers who want to make quick gains. Instead, the ministry said, producers who suspect sick birds in their flocks should report them to veterinary officials.
The warning is being issued amid worries of avian influenza in Nigeria.
“Farmers must desist from selling their sick birds in order to avert further spread of the disease, because the more you take sick birds to the market within or outside the state, the further and quicker the disease spreads. Instead of just taking your birds to the markets, once you notice any funny behavior from your birds, report to the appropriate authority for necessary and proper actions to be taken, said Ministry of Agriculture representative Ayuba Haruna.
According to an AllAfrica report, Haruna also urged poultry farmers to report marketers that may be buying sick poultry.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza in January 2015 was discovered in Nigeria for the first time since the epidemic of 2006-2008. The virus has since spread to bordering Niger, which in April experienced its first confirmed case of H5N1 avian influenza since 2006. Other countries have been identified as being at risk, including Benin, Cameroon and Chad.

Nigeria’s HPAI outbreak poses risk for neighboring countries

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was confirmed in Nigeria in January this year, the first occurrence of the disease since the epidemic of 2006-2008.
It has already spread to over nine percent of government areas. At least 400 enterprises, including farms and markets have been affected.
Nigeria is major egg producer and the fourth largest broiler producer in the region, and although the government has responded to the disease by implementing quarantine, culling and offering compensation, the disease continues to spread.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) notes that traditional trading patterns, both formal and informal, between Nigeria and its neighbors, provide an opportunity for cross-border or inter-regional disease spread. Currently, the countries at immediate risk are Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, the Niger and Togo, but other countries are also at risk, and the FAO has advised that they should prepare for disease incursions.
It adds that the virus, similar to recent isolates found in Bulgaria, India and Vietnam, is expected to spread more widely in Nigeria and may affect a high proportion of poultry production unless effective biosecurity measures are introduced.

Nigeria pays poultry farmers for avian influenza losses

Poultry farmers in Nigeria are being compensated by the government to help cope with losses brought on by avian influenza.
The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has paid out a compensation package of NGN100.5 million (US$502,614) for 69,303 birds to affected farmers in 15 local government areas in Kano State, according to a report in The Guardian.
In a statement at the compensation ceremony, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Nigeria’s agriculture minister, stated that it is important to support the poultry industry as Nigeria is the top egg producer in Africa. He also expressed concern that Kano had the largest number of mortality rates in the avian influenza outbreak.
The ministry released figures in February that cited the number of birds lost from avian influenza at 419,763 birds, but that number has since nearly doubled, according to estimates from Onallo Apka, director general of the Poultry Association of Nigeria.
Based on the compensation given, the government is spending about NGN1,460 (US$7.30) per bird, and about N1.2 billion (US$6 million) would be needed to help them fully recover from the losses.
Nigerian poultry farmers and traders in live bird markets are being trained and sensitized on measures to help prevent future outbreaks.

Nigerian poultry producer Dayntee Farms installs new hatchery

Ayo Alade, managing director at Dayntee Farms, stands in the poultry company's new hatchery.
Nigerian poultry producer Dayntee Farms has installed a new hatchery equipped with Petersime Conventional setters and hatchers with a total setting capacity of 4 million eggs per year. This initial capacity is planned to be doubled in 2014.
Ayo Alade, managing director at Dayntee Farms, comments: "The mission of our business is to provide Nigerians with affordable, top quality poultry products that comply with our high standards. This is achieved through a strict bio-security program at the hatchery. We strongly believe Petersime's incubators and hatchery equipment will help us to achieve this goal."
Installation of the incubators has been realized by Chi Ltd., Petersime's distributor for Nigeria, directed by Martin Middernacht. Chi will be taking care of spare parts and technical support during the entire hatchery's lifetime.

Nigeria poultry production up 20 percent

Growing health concerns in Nigeria about smuggled imported poultry have led to a 20 percent increase in local bird production in 2013, according to reports, boosting farmers' earnings and creating more jobs in the local industry.
The poultry are now sold by large emerging superstores spread across urban centers. They are sold raw or smoked and are supplied directly or through distributors, by big agro companies such as Chi Limited, which have large farms and complimentary processing units. The ready-to-cook chicken stock are supplied in modern packaging and are well preserved through continuous freezing, which supermarkets have the capacity to provide. These processes are driving up sales in spite of higher prices.
A smuggled imported frozen whole chicken is sold for between N700 (US$4.42) and N1,200 (US$7.57) depending on size, while the locally produced frozen chicken goes for as high N1,650 (US$10.41) or more in the supermarkets.
The increased demand for wholesome poultry stock by the middle class has been spurring business expansion among existing poultry producers and stimulating new investments. Though there have been crises in the industry due to security challenges in the north of Nigeria, which led to lower demand for eggs from that area, the growing middle class, their changing tastes and health concerns have spurred demand in the southern parts. Chickens and eggs are even being branded by producers as an assurance of quality.
Dotun Agbojo, president of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter, said from the beginning of 2013 to date, Customs has seized over N500 million (US$3.16 million) worth of poultry products from smugglers. Agbojo said Customs should further intensify its efforts and drew attention to the health hazards of smuggled poultry.