By Samuel
A poultry firm based in Ibadan, Best Line Hatchery has cried out over the loss of birds worth N50 million, owing to the defiance of security operatives enforcing the lockdown directive at border points of entry.
The firm in a statement on Tuesday expressed deep grief over the deaths of several Day-Old-Chicks which were been conveyed to other parts of the country.
The products, which were been transported in no less than 20 buses, were said to have been hindered from moving by security agents at the Podo area of Ibadan on Monday evening, despite having the rights of passage required.
Speaking to newsmen over the loss, Managing Director of the firm, Reverend Tunde Owolabi who decried the maltreatment by policemen and other security operatives berated the attitude of the lockdown enforcers, which resulted in the deaths of the chicks.
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President Muhammadu Buhari in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic had issued a lockdown directive in some states but had also insisted that those providing essential services were to be allowed unrestricted movements across the country.
In similar vein, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture had instated a Joint Task Technical team to facilitate the unrestricted movement of farmers and their essentials – food, livestock, and agricultural inputs.
According to Owolabi, the unreserved rights by agricultural practitioners have been breached by security agents, who had returned the firm’s products on the claims of a new directive by the government.
“We trust God that with all effort that is on ground, COVID-19 should be a thing of the past very soon. But by the time this problem is over, there is going to be a looming danger of scarcity of farm and poultry produce
“Hunger problem is far far greater in dimension compared to the danger COVID-19 poses. The number of birds that are involved today is alarming
“We have about 20 buses that are affected today and in each of these, we have about 8,000 to 10,000 birds. The monetary value is huge. We are talking about over N50 million worth of birds.
“It is rather unfortunate that these our birds were returned last night. Birds are meant to travel at the cool hours of the day and that is the reason you see us travel in the night
“Our drivers have the passes. As you can see with me here, we have all the documents from the Poultry Association of Nigeria and from the Ministry of Agriculture. Each of the drivers carries the papers,” Owolabi explained.
The MD further stated that he was in disbelief over the claims of the policemen, as the Federal Government had granted rights of passage to those carrying agricultural produce, as part of essential service providers.
He, however, call on the government at all levels to ensure that officials of the lockdown enforcement allow unrestricted movement of agricultural products, in order to effectively sustain food security and the fight against COVID-19.
“We are appealing to the Federal Government, we are appealing to the state government to continuously give us free passage for all our drivers,” he said.
Chairman of the Day Old Chicks Merchant Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Asimiyu Oyetunde, who also spoke to newsmen, said that the firm had all valid documents issued by the association as well as the Federal and State Ministry of Agriculture, which granted them the right to dispense their essential services.
Oyetunde said the attitude of the security agents had resulted in the loss of the chicks, which he maintained were over N50 million, despite possessing all necessary papers.
Wading in, the Chairman of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Oyo state chapter, Mr Gbemisoye Agboola expressed sadness over the huge loss incurred by the firm. He said the security operatives acted contrary to the directive of the government.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Gbenga Fadeyi informed the press that he was yet to be briefed of the situation, adding that due investigations would be carried out on the matter once briefed.
There had been cries by farmers and agricultural producers, in previous weeks, of alleged mistreatments by enforcers of the lockdown restrictions across the country, despite the president’s order on essential services.
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By Samuel
With the rising cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in Nigeria, there are concerns on the implications of the crisis on farmers and food security. In this exclusive interview with AgroNigeria, Otunba Femi Oke, the Lagos State chapter chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria dissects all angles to rising issues affecting farming in the country.
Considering Nigeria’s current realities as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, what challenges are farmers facing at this point in time?
Our challenges are very many, especially with regards to the losses we recorded from not being able to sell our produce optimally. Also, the gluts in our farms is another problem, especially among poultry farmers who have not been able to sell their eggs. Many of the eggs have been rotting away.
Also, movement of our produce is another challenge. We thank God a joint technical task force has just been inaugurated, but before then, farmers incurred lots of losses, especially those into perishable items such as tomatoes, vegetables, etc. We want the government to come to our aid in this area by extending their support. Government can take up most of these produce from the farmers and store them in storage facilities where they could be kept under average temperature, saving them for the future.
Also, the government needs to support farmers that have fallen victims to the adverse effect of this pandemic. Some of them took bank loans which they are now unable to meet up with. Again, farmers should be assisted with the opening-up of more roads and offered assistance by being given tractors and bulldozers, especially for farmers in the South West. This is because the risk we take to cultivate the land is higher. Manual labour, which is still in use, is not favourable at all. So, we want bulldozers to be given to AFAN or to every local government so that farmers can access them at low and reduced prices for us to do our land preparations.
With regards to the current egg glut in the market, what can the government do to help the plight of farmers?
The government should form a committee that would look into the issue to help farmers financially, especially those that have not been able to sell their produce as at when due. Buying the produce from farmers to mop them out can work; it would make the farmers happy. In most of the farms that I visited, especially the poultry farms, the farmers are not happy at all because they sell to restaurants and hotels, and these places are not opened at the moment due to the lockdown.
What is the association doing to ensure safety on farms and safety among farmers as they carry out farming activities during this time?
What we do is to sensitise our farmers to insure their farms. Also, with the joint task force that has just been inaugurated, the farmers can now move freely to their farms, especially AFAN farmers. We have decided to issue a pass to all our farmers for the free movement of their produce. These task forces are being inaugurated across all the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
What is AFAN doing healthwise for farmers?
Making sure they keep in line with health regulations from the Federal Government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control- to watch their hands and keep themselves hygienic, wash their gloves and keep safe after farming, practice physical distancing, make use of nose masks when farming, etc.
How easy has it been for farmers to adapt to these procedures while carrying out their farming activities?
It is very easy. For example, I was in the farm yesterday and I used the nose mask. So, immediately we left the farm, we washed our hands. We also sanitised.
It is the outset of the 2020 planting season in the South. How prepared are farmers? Are farmers ready to go farming?
Farmers are very ready but are considering a likely shortage of food due to the lockdown; it has not been encouraging to most of the farmers. Nonetheless, farmers would still try their best. We are still going to farm.
Is the availability of seeds for planting a source of concern at this point in the planting season?
This is another challenge farmers are facing because the seeds we have access to now are the ones produced before the lockdown. Most of the seeds companies are not working and we now have to buy at exorbitant prices. So, we are left with no choice.
Considering the lockdown order and the restrictions in movement, how available is labour for farming at this point in time?
We have sensitised our people. AFAN has also been recognised as one of the members of the technical task force team initiated at the federal level through the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Also, we are trying to sensitise all our farmers at the local government and ward levels. So, definitely, they would comply.
What should Nigerians expect as the planting season kicks in and is there going to be a shortfall in production this year?
There is no doubt about that: We would not get it 100%; there would be some shortfall. Due to the shortage of seeds, government not offtaking farmers’ produce, and farmers not being able to repay bank loans, we can say there is likely to be a shortfall.
With the ongoing AFAN leadership crisis at the national level, how well do you think the association can discharge its duties, especially at a critical period like this where there is a pandemic?
It will be a thing of the past. We are not happy about what is really happening, especially seeing all the theatrics at this point in time. But we are very certain it would be taken care of.
Will the leadership crisis affect this year’s farming or calendar of programmes for farmers?
No, it’s not going to affect them. We are really doing our jobs. Everybody is on as supposed to be.
What are your predictions for the planting and harvest season this year and next year or the post-Covid-19 era?
For now, there is no way we can predict. Seedlings are not available, the government is not intervening with regards to the losses we have recorded. But one thing, this pandemic is definitely going to affect something.
What would be the fate of Nigerians in terms of food security post-Covid-19?
That is why I said most of the commodities have to be subsidized. The government has to invite farmers and assist them, especially the poultry farmers, and also those into perishable items – they have been the most affected. There is no way the current pandemic is not going to affect things, but if measures are put in place to curb the adverse effects, Nigeria will not have a crisis in the coming year
By .
Several studies have linked Covid-19 to bats and other wild animals as the likely source. The disease is believed to have jumped the species’ barrier to humans. While the intermediate animal has not been identified, it could be a domestic food animal, a wild animal or a domesticated wild animal. Generally, coronaviruses are found in many species of animals including cattle, camels, pigs and cats, where they cause mild to severe infections.
Examples of severe infections include the winter dysentery and shipping fever in cattle. Some coronaviruses are zoonotic, which means they affect animals and humans, but most strains are not.
Examples of zoonotic coronaviruses are the Severe Acute Respiratory syndrome (Sars) that was caused by Sar coronavirus (SAR-CoV) and was transmitted from civets and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers), that was caused by the Mers coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and was transmitted from camels to humans.
As for Covid-19, there has been no evidence of its transmission from humans to animals and vice versa and also no transmission from animal to animal so far, but as a precautionary measure, people suffering from Covid-19 should avoid contact with animals and those not affected should step up basic hygiene measures when handling animals.
Amid the mandatory or self-imposed quarantine requirement and implementation of various hygiene measures, as a livestock value chain actor, you must have a plan of action on how to control Covid-19 on your farm or premises. Here is what you can do: Input suppliers These include feed manufacturers, animal health service providers, agrochemical suppliers, veterinary support services and others who provide goods and services to farmers for production of livestock products such as milk, meat and eggs. The feed suppliers travel long distances in search of raw materials and are therefore likely to transmit Covid-19 through contacts. You can minimise human contact by ordering supplies online, via social media or through contact addresses.
You can also avoid long journeys in search of raw materials by using locally available alternatives such as soya and sunflower for protein sources, instead of omena or fish and wheat bran instead of maize bran for energy supply. Although animal health service providers are more conversant with disease control, they should be more vigilant by using personal protective equipment, observing biosecurity such as foot and wheel baths and minimising the number of visits to a farm.
The recommended injection frequency for antibiotics, for example, is three to five days and unless it is a special case, the lower figure should be adopted for now. You can also use long-acting medication, which does not require daily dosing. Advise more on disease control to pre-empt infections and report any Covid-19 like signs in animals to veterinary authorities. Diseases don’t read books and although Covid-19 is recorded as a human-to-human transmission, there is need for active surveillance of the disease in animals by veterinary authorities. Farmers When life gives you lemon, make lemonade.
Due to the stay-at-home directive, most telephone livestock owners have found a chance to be absent from their busy employment or business schedules and stay or visit the farm. This may enhance food production in the long run and avert food shortage, which might arise from controlled importation. But as a measure, if you are using commercial feeds, stock supplies to last the quarantine period. Minimise farm entry by service providers such as milk collectors and feed deliveries by opening up a drop-off point at the farm gate and limit access to animals by anybody exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms. For most small-scale farmers, social distancing may not be an issue in the milking parlour since most farms have only a few workers.
Large and medium-scale farmers either carry out machine milking or hand milking with many workers at a time. Social distancing on such farms should be observed and there should be thorough cleaning of equipment with soap and water, followed by thorough rinsing with clean water and hanging the equipment upside down to dry. Workers should clean their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling animals, milking equipment and animal feeds.
Processors Milk processors should produce more of the long shelf-life products such as UHT and powdered milk. This would help consumers make fewer visits to milk outlets, thus decongesting such places. Slaughterhouses operate from 6am to around 11am to ensure that transportation of meat takes place before the ambient temperatures are high. This is to minimise meat spoilage. Due to this requirement, slaughter premises are sometimes crowded with meat sellers, veterinary and other personnel struggling to meet the deadline. To continue with slaughter operations, therefore, there is need to minimise the number of people in the facilities at any given time. This can be achieved through the idea of a daylong slaughter.
In such a case, use of refrigerated vehicles for meat transport is necessary. Eggs are normally collected, sorted into different sizes and put in trays. To minimise contamination of eggs on the farm and at the market, handlers should frequently sanitise their hands, clean the working areas, egg trays and other packaging materials and preferably package the eggs into preferred quantities so that the customers don’t have to handle them as they try to select the biggest. Marketers A combination of distance and hygiene is essential. Packaging of supplies limits their handling and reduces the time taken to purchase such items in addition to curbing spread of the virus through contamination.
Home delivery also reduces congregation of customers in one place. As for livestock markets, distancing can be achieved through controlled movement into the auction yards by buyers and sellers. Consumers This is the time most consumers are stockpiling. Keep livestock products in hygienic conditions, whether chilled or not. The SARs-CoV-2 coronavirus is killed by high temperatures. You should, therefore, cook the food well. Also wash food thoroughly and separate raw from cooked food. More importantly, avoid overeating to sustain the supplies. The slightly edited piece, authored by Jecinta Mwirigi, appeared in the Daily Nation of Kenya.
By AgroNigeria
To cushion the effect of the lockdown directive on its citizens, the Lagos State Government initiated a stimulus package in food packs, to about 200,000 households.
State’s Ministry of Agriculture spearheaded the delivery of the packages to low income earning residents, seated across all Local Government Areas of the state.
The ministry instructed that the packages get to the most vulnerable households, with emphasis on individuals who were dependent on daily wages.
Still in its first phase, the packages were produced for residents in a six-person household cluster, to last for at least 14 days.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, revealed that the response was necessary to ease the burden of Lagosians who could not fend for themselves, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are all aware that this is a trying time for our citizens and since the partial drop in economic activities, our government deemed it necessary to reach out to the vulnerable ones in society.”
“We would be giving bags of rice, bags of beans, garri, bread, dry pepper, and we are trying to see if we can add water and some elements of vitamin C,” Sanwo-Olu said
The response, the Governor explained, will also enable them target the most vulnerable group during the lockdown.
The Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) is, however, using its database to reach out to its aged residents ranging from 60 years and above via SMS.
Prince Gbolahan Lawal, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, on his part implored vulnerable residents of the state to register with the agency to certify their eligibility for the aid.
By AgroNigeria
Countries need to meet the immediate food need of their vulnerable populations, UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has said.
This is among other measures the international food agency said countries around the world must take reduce the impact of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
FAO in a recent statement on its website said countries must boost their social protection programme as well as keep food supply chain flowing.
The agency said that for the proactive measure to be effective, countries must ensure that they provide emergency food to their citizenry.
It added that they should also ensure that they prevent undernourishment by scaling up nutritional support.
The agency said countries should ensure multiple payments to help families meet their basic needs and also provide complementary entitlement to off-set loss of income for small-scale producers.
The agency also urged the government to explore the use of food banks which it says could be done through direct provision of food by government.
FAO also urged countries to reduce trade-related costs that would help to reduce food wastage and losses and reduce logistics bottlenecks.
“Policy makers must monitor trends and take care to avoid accidentally tightening food-supply conditions, something that China has managed so far with creative and adaptive methods,” it said in part.
The World Health Organisation on March 11 declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic.
Since its outbreak, the virus has killed thousands of persons around the world with the global number of confirmed cases at over 800, 000 as at March 31, 2020 _Guardian UK_ reports.