Stakeholders advocate tech-driven poultry farming

Stakeholders in the agro-allied business have advocated the immediate adoption of science and technology-driven poultry farming to assist rural and peri-urban farmers to rear genetically bred fowls towards ensure food security. At a meeting in Lagos, the Principal Investigator, African Chicken Genetic Gains, ACCG-Nigeria, Prof. Funso Sonaiya, said the current farming trend in the global […]

Stakeholders in the agro-allied business have advocated the immediate adoption of science and technology-driven poultry farming to assist rural and peri-urban farmers to rear genetically bred fowls towards ensure food security.

At a meeting in Lagos, the Principal Investigator, African Chicken Genetic Gains, ACCG-Nigeria, Prof. Funso Sonaiya, said the current farming trend in the global arena is one that emphasizes science, technology, innovation and industry. 

He noted that more than any other time, poultry farmers, especially rural women need to key into the system to raise their incomes.

“We are particular about genetic chickens because we are convinced beyond doubt that they possess attribute that make them suitable for performance both under stationed or scavenging situations. And they are chicken that are driven by science, technology, innovation and industry. 

“Whereas most of the traditional chickens can barely lay up to 50 to 60 eggs in a year, the genetic breeds can lay between 150 and 200 eggs in a year; that is three times over,” Sonaiya said.

According to the ACCG-Nigeria principal investigator, with the assistance of modern technology, six genetics are currently being tested in two stations – Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and Fol Hope Farms, Ibadan – as well as in five zones (Kwara, Rivers, Imo, Nasarawa and Kebbi states) with 2,100 farmers with the two most

preferred breeds to be commercialised.

Sonaiya said already, ACCG-Nigeria has been able to conduct an extensive baseline survey of smallholder poultry farmers in Nigeria, establish a data management system (ICT) for on-farm and on-station data collection and establish a national and community innovation platforms for the smallholders, among others.

Similarly, Dr Samuel Mbuku who works with Pico Eastern Africa in Kenya said already, smallholder farmers in the East African region are having positive experience from technologically driven poultry farming. 

He recommended its adoption among Nigerian smallholder farmers.