Poultry production plays a vital role in Nigeria’s economy ensuring consistent food supply and playing a vital role in food safety and security.
Despite these aforementioned roles, a long list of problems of poultry production in Nigeria still hinders the continued growth of this essential industry.
One major role of poultry production in anywhere in the world is the provision of essential meat and eggs that are valuable sources of protein to the population.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, poultry meat and eggs contribute significantly to meeting the animal protein requirement in Nigeria.
In 2020, the contribution of poultry meat and eggs to the total animal protein supply in Nigeria was estimated to be around 45%. Specifically:
- Poultry meat contributed approximately 35% to the total animal protein supply.
- Eggs contributed approximately 10% to the total animal protein supply.
The industry is also an important source of employement to over 20 million people in different essential sectors.
Despite all of the major advantages of this essential food industry, it faces many challenges that hinder its productivity and growth.
Some of the problems of poultry production in nigeria include disease outbreaks, poor management practices, lack of capital and high costs of inputs, and competition from cheap imported products.
These problems of poultry production in Nigeria can lead to high mortality rates, losses for farmers, and reduced domestic production and supply.
Addressing these issues through training programs, increased funding, formation of producer cooperations, import regulations and improved biosecurity can help develop the Nigerian poultry sector.
Major Problems Of Poultry Production In Nigeria
Problems of Poultry Farming in Nigeria
Disease Outbreaks
Disease outbreaks pose one of the greatest threats to commercial and rural poultry production in Nigeria. Endemic poultry diseases found in Nigeria include Newcastle disease, Infectious Bursal Disease, Fowl Pox, Coccidiosis, Salmonellosis, Infectious coryza and Avian influenza. (Unigwe et al.)
These diseases are caused by viruses, bacteria or protozoa and spread easily among high-density poultry populations causing low to severe signs of infections which can be exacerbated by a low flock hygiene management practices.
Newcastle disease can be thought of as the most important constraint, causing up to 80% mortality in unvaccinated poultry flocks.
The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) especially the H5N1 subtype has also caused devastation, first detected in Nigeria in 2006 and reemerging in 2007, 2008 and 2015 (Henning et al, 2013).
These outbreaks resulted in the loss of over 1 million birds from disease and culling.
Disease epidemics lead to massive mortality and severe economic losses for poultry farmers. Financial losses from death and reduced production have been estimated at over $150 million during HPAI outbreaks. Disease transmission to humans is also a public health concern highlighting the zoonotic importance and potential of these deadly animal diseases.
Effective prevention and control of poultry diseases require improved surveillance, biosecurity measures, routine vaccination programs, medication and reduction of high risk practices that aid spread.
READ MORE: THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE IN ACHIEVING NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH POTENTIAL
Poor Management And Hygiene Practices
The predominant poultry production system in Nigeria is small-scale free-range backyard flocks.
Management practices are often poor due to lack of technical knowledge, substandard housing, inadequate feeding, limited biosecurity measures and inadequate health management.
Lack of technical expertise results in farmers using inappropriate practices in housing, ventilation, chick brooding, feeding, vaccination schedules and medication. These results in suboptimal levels of production in ways that are detrimental to the health of the animals.Feed quality and quantity are often insufficient, leading to malnutrition.
The majority of smallholder poultry housing fail to protect birds from harsh weather, predators, injury and disease transmission.
Biosecurity measures like disinfection footbaths, perimeter fencing and quarantines are rarely implemented, enabling infectious agents to spread rapidly among flocks. Record keeping and production monitoring are also scarce.
These factors contribute to high chick mortality, slow growth rates, decreased egg production and heavy economic losses. Educating farmers on technical best practices through training programs and extension services can help minimize losses.
Lack of Capital and High Input Costs
Poultry production requires substantial capital investment for housing, equipment, day-old chicks, feeds, medications, labor etc. The lack of capital and difficulties accessing credit impedes the establishment and expansion of poultry enterprises in Nigeria (12).
The costs of inputs are also exceptionally high. Day-old chicks cost about ₦600-800 each depending on the breed and type from reputable hatcheries. Top quality feeds cost between ₦8,000 to ₦14,000 per 25 kg bag depending on the feed type and brand. Medications, vaccines, labor and utilities further drive up production costs. This leads to high prices of poultry products that are unaffordable for many Nigerian consumers.
Limited access to credit facilities in Nigeria’s underdeveloped agricultural lending system makes it difficult for small-medium producers to acquire funds to cover these substantial costs and risks. Partnerships between producers, government and financial institutions are needed to facilitate financing and subsidies that support poultry expansion.
Competition with Imported Products
Local poultry producers struggle to compete with the massive influx of cheap, frozen poultry meat and eggs imported from Europe, United States and neighbouring African countries. An estimated 1.2-1.4 million tons of poultry is smuggled into Nigeria annually especially through land borders as a result of poorly manned borders.
The imported products are priced far lower than locally produced poultry since foreign producers enjoy subsidies, economies of scale and more advanced technologies and infrastructure. These imported products are of immense health concerns as they spend weeks to months in transit compromising their quality and making them unsuitable for consumption.
Nigeria’s land borders are poorly policed, allowing massive quantities of contraband goods to be smuggled. This illegal trade undercuts prices and hinders the competitiveness and productivity gains of the local industry.
Effects Of The Problems Of Poultry Production in Nigeria
The major challenges facing poultry production in Nigeria have wide-ranging effects as listed above, including:
- High chick mortality and loss of birds, resulting in lowered productivity. HPAI outbreaks alone killed over 1 million birds (6).
- Substantial financial losses for poultry farmers. Stock loss combined with low outputs and sales revenue make it difficult to recover costs and profit.
- Reduction in overall domestic poultry and egg production compared to Nigeria’s needs and market demand. The supply gap is filled by imports. Local production only meets about 40% of demand (17).
- High prices and reduced affordability of poultry products like eggs and chicken for Nigerian consumers.
- Business failures and farmers exiting the poultry industry after being unable to sustain losses.
- Decreased food security and access to an important protein source for the Nigerian population.
- Increased poverty and unemployment from diminished opportunities in the poultry value chain.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Several interventions, policy changes and enforcements can help address the key problems of poultry production in Nigeria with an aim to increase productivity and growth of the industry in Nigeria: These include but not limited to
- Training programs for poultry farmers to improve technical knowledge on housing, feeding, disease prevention, biosecurity etc. Workshops, seminars, extension services from universities and online courses can build capacity.
- Increased funding and investments in poultry housing, equipment and inputs. Public-private partnerships, development grants and increased access to credit can alleviate capital constraints.
- Formation of producer cooperatives and clusters. This provides collective bargaining power, shared access to inputs and services, knowledge exchange and economies of scale.
- Import regulations and bans to stem influx of cheap poultry imports and contraband. Improved border security and enforcement of import quotas and high tariffs on foreign products can help local industry compete.
- Expansion of large-scale commercial poultry farms using modern production technologies. This can increase efficiency, outputs and employment.
- Improved vaccination coverage and biosecurity protocols to control endemic diseases. Government and donor supported programs are needed.
- Support from government and private sector through subsidies for inputs, guaranteed minimum producer prices, low interest credit, and business-friendly policies.
Conclusion
Poultry production has high potential in Nigeria but faces major challenges like epidemics, poor farming practices, high production costs and competition from cheap imports.
These problems substantially hinder productivity, increase losses, and reduce supply of local poultry.
Targeted, well structured and enforced interventions through training, financing, import controls and biosecurity improvements are needed to support poultry farmers, boost local production, lower consumer prices and develop the industry.
With the right policies and support measures, Nigeria’s poultry sector can expand to create jobs, improve food security and reduce dependence on imports.
