Lagos: The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State Chapter, on Thursday sensitised poultry farmers on the importance of adopting modern technology to improve productivity and profitability. The sensitisation took place during the association’s annual summit in Alausa, Lagos.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the summit, themed ‘Flocking to Growth: Transforming Nigeria’s Poultry Industry with Innovation and Investment,’ attracted poultry farmers from across the state. PAN Lagos Chairman, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, highlighted the summit’s objective to educate members on global best practices and technological innovations for enhanced poultry production.
Iyiola urged farmers to transition from outdated methods to modern technologies that enhance productivity with less labour, aiming to maximise benefits and increase profitability. He stressed the need for Nigerian poultry farmers to align with global trends to achieve results akin to those in developed countries. The association has initiated training programmes involving experts from academia to provide both theoretical and practical knowledge to farmers.
Expressing gratitude to the Lagos State Government, Iyiola commended their support for poultry farmers, particularly the establishment of an egg powder factory to address poor sales and losses from unsold eggs. He appealed to the government to expedite making the factory operational for processing eggs locally.
Prof. Olugbenga Ogunwole, from the University of Ibadan, emphasized adopting appropriate feeding practices to maximise the genetic potential of modern poultry breeds. He noted that technological advancements have significantly reduced the time required to raise broiler chickens to market weight and urged farmers to feed their birds in line with international standards for optimal performance.
Mrs Olushola Egbota, Director of Extension Services, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, encouraged poultry farmers to utilise extension services to improve farm productivity. She advised against relying solely on government interventions and urged farmers to seek technical knowledge to enhance production. Egbota assured that the Lagos State Extension Services office is available to support farmers in maximising their productivity and potential.