Poultry farmers, others berate FG over AGRIFEST

Daily Trust felt the pulse of poultry farmers and sellers among others on the issue who expressed displeasure, saying that the government preferred holding political jamborees rather than trying to checkmate the deadly disease that is threatening poultry population and human lives.A poultry farmer and one-time president of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), who […]

Daily Trust felt the pulse of poultry farmers and sellers among others on the issue who expressed displeasure, saying that the government preferred holding political jamborees rather than trying to checkmate the deadly disease that is threatening poultry population and human lives.
A poultry farmer and one-time president of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), who is the current president of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Architect Kabiru Ibrahim, told our reporter that he wondered why the festival was allowed to overshadow the outbreak of the avian influenza, which is an apparent doom facing the poultry industry and could infect humans as well.
Answering question on whether AFAN was invited, he said they were not invited, adding, “the festival may not necessarily be for real farmers. I believe majority of those who attended are political farmers.”
He also said: “At a time when bird flu is fast spreading across the country, the government is organising this kind of event. I think they should focus more on how to curtail the spread of the deadly disease,” the poultry farmer said.
“Imagine what a farmer with up to 700,000 birds will lose if the disease hits his farm. Some years ago, they paid compensation to farmers, but now are they going to pay, he queried.
Another poultry farmer in Nasarawa State, Mr. Joshua Audu, who told Daily Trust that he was scared having known the havoc wreaked by bird flu about seven years ago, maintained that AGRIFEST in the face of the deadly virus was ill timed and politically calculated to canvass for votes from briefcase farmers.
Poultry product sellers and consumers also berated the festival celebrated at the Eagle Square amidst pomp and pageantry.
A poultry seller, Malam Salisu Abu, said the government should stop wasting resources on organising what he described as political gathering for farmers and act fast to check the spread of bird flu.
“Buyers became afraid and started avoiding chicken as soon as they heard the news, this will affect our business,” he said.
Meanwhile, at the AGRIFEST, President Goodluck Jonathan announced the release of N26 million for this year’s dry season farming, while disclosing that the federal government will now fund the Argungu Fishing Festival.
Farmers at the festival organised to showcase the achievements of the government in the agricultural sector commended President Jonathan’s administration and described him as the farmers’ president.