Professor David Apata
By Ola Babatunde
Professor David Friday Apata of the Department of Animal Production, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Kwara State University, Malete has identified kidnapping, banditry and farmer-herder conflicts as major factors militating against the effective farming system in the country.
The don called on President Muhammadu Bihari led administration to as a matter of priority strengthen the security architecture in the country including rural areas where most farming activities take place in order to encourage youths and adults that have passion for various farming activities.
Professor Apata made the call on Wednesday (January 19, 2022) in his inaugural lecture titled “Feed is Good, Toxicants the Bane” held at the University Convocation Arena.
“The farmer-herder conflict has become Nigeria’s security challenge. Government should give assurance of adequate security to prevent crop farmers – herdsmen conflict, kidnapping and banditry in order to ensure sufficient production of crops for feed manufacturing” Apata appealed.
Professor Apata, who is the 7th inaugural lecturer of the Kwara State University, however called on Federal Government to come up with robust policies and programmes that will promote livestock farming in the country.
Apata affirmed that aggressive promotion of livestock farming would give Nigerian youths and women folk ample opportunity to be self sufficient and help government in its drive for the attainment of massive production of farm produces in the country.
“The government needs to create a conducive environment so that more youths, graduates and rural women can take up various livestock farming opportunities, particularly poultry, pigs, rabbit, fish and other aspects of livestock production.”
“This would not only create jobs, provide income, alleviate poverty and reduce restiveness but would also enhance the production of animal protein which is currently in short supply”
Professor Apata recommended an increased and seamless private sector participation in the livestock feed industry to produce
and market quality animal feeds.
“An increase in investment will enable the production of superior feed at competitive prices and stimulate the vast majority of the
rural economy” he added.
He called on relevant regulatory bodies like National Agency for Food and Drug Control (NAFDAC) and NIAS to intensify efforts in monitoring the imprudent use of antibiotics in animals which, he said, promotes the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
in the production and value chain of animal products, this efforts, according to him, would avoid further selection and spread of AR
bacteria.
He explained that the quality and quantity of derivable animal products are directly related to feeding and nutrition, adding that the quality of feedstuffs can be said to be a critical component that directly correlates with the production of animal protein, health and overall profitability in livestock farming.
He also recommended the evelopment of Feed Safety Standards, saying that safety standards should form a fundamental component of policy measure to support the feed industry.
Professor Apata advocated the review of animal production curriculum to inculcate proper knowledge of undesirable substances in feeds, maintaining that the safety of animal-source foods begins with the safety of
animal feeds.
He recommended that simple equipment for rapid detection of baneful substances should be produced to monitor and ensure
feeding safe feedstuffs to livestock, saying that to achieve this, engineers are challenged to design appropriate instruments in conjunction with nutritional biochemists to test for feed toxicants.
The inaugural lecturer equally recommended encouragement of interdisciplinary researches to develop efficient and effective post-harvest detoxification procedures to remove the heat-stable ANFs in alternative feed ingredients for the realization of their full potentials by livestock farmers.
“Presently, there are feedstuffs like moringa seed meal, soybean and other feed sources of interest in Nigeria, pointing out that there is a need for synergy among engineers, nutritionists and toxicologists to ensure that the existing commercial feed mills are equipped with detoxification facilities to ensure their effective treatment in alleviating inadequate feed supply.
