The Ministry of Agnicurture in Ogun has trained operators of Live Bird Markets (LBM) and poultry value chain actors on how to safeguard the health of the people.
Dr. Adeola Odedina, the Commissioner for Agriculture, said that the training conducted by the
Veterinary Services Department in the ministry was to promote Biosecurity and Disease Reporting.
Odedina said the training became imperative to ensure that
bird marketers carry out their trading activities in the healthiest manner.
He said that as a border state, there was a need for the
stakeholders to guide against dumping of unhygienic animals in the environment.
“I want to assure you that the state government will
continue to do the needful in ensuring that diseases in animals, especially
those that have the potential to infect humans are nip in the bud.
“This is because we share boundaries with the neighboring
west African countries, it is important that we carry stakeholders along in
this renewed drive.
“Our regular engagement with LBM disinfection and
decontamination activities, especially during festival periods, has helped in
checking Avian influenza spread.
“This has become a standard for effective control and
eradication of the disease as recognized by the Food and Agricultural the organization,” Odedima said.
The commissioner also said that the ministry w3s committed
to working with the poultry operators to promote the effective standard of
biosecurity.
He said that the ministry would create a network for disease
reporting and surveillance to further build a healthy poultry population and
ensure profitability value chain.
Odedina said that the state had engaged stakeholders through
an all-Inclusive agricultural opportunity with a new focus to benefit all
“We have a new focus on poultry in Ogun, there is the Anchor
Borrowers Programme for graduates and unemployed youths.
“Also, we have Noiler programme for small holder farmers
where we will support farmers with 50 birds and with input as well as the
Mother Hen Project,” he said
In a lecture, Dr. Fade Olanrewaju, Deputy Director,
veterinary Services Department, said that birds markets should be at least, 200
meters away from residential areas.
Olanrewaju, in the lecture entitled “Biosecurity Guidelines
for Live Bird Marketers”, advised the trainees to ensure cleanliness and
regular disinfection of the markets and cages to avoid infections and diseases.
He said that poultry farmers should try and understand the
value chains related to their markets.
According to him, restrictions must be placed on the entry
of poultry where diseases like zoonotic influenza viruses are on a rampage,
adding that dead birds must be properly disposed.
He said that dead birds must De properly disposed, and
ensure that markets were of strong biosecurity standards and must be certified
by veterinary doctors or public health operators
Also, Mr. EJIde Balogun, one of the participants, appreciated
the state government for the training, saying that it had further exposed them
to themselves as agricultural stakeholders
Balogun pledged that the trainees would imbibe hygienically
poultry practice and also educate other members in the business (NAN)
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