Don charges FG to invest more in animal production

Prof. Isiaka Emiola of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, has called on the Federal Government to invest more in animal production to enhance meat production and food security.

Animal production is mostly dependent on availability of feeds and feedstuffs which ensures healthy multiplication of animals and hence the perpetuation of the species, Emiola said, while delivering the 47th inaugural lecture of LAUTECH held at the institution’s campus in Ogbomoso, on Thursday.

“Nigeria Institute of Animal Science has a role as a coordinating agency by working closely with relevant agencies, professional associations and the private sector.

“This is to review, implement and monitor compliance with current standards of practice in the production, transportation, storage and marketing of animal products”, he added.

Supreme reports that Emiola, a professor of Animal Nutrition and Feed Toxicology, had delivered the 11th inaugural lecture of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, and made some recommendations aimed at ensuring sustainable livestock production and food security.

He called on policy makers to provide adequate funds for feed safety-oriented researches that promote environmental sustainability, in addition to the release of more funds for farmers to feed their animals with good food so as to produce wholesome food for the nation.

“Policy formulators should make adequate funds available for feed safety-oriented researches that promote environmental sustainability. Dietary strategy for improved nutrient utilisation must be developed,” he said.

Emiola stressed the need to also develop safety standards for undesirable substances in feeds produced for different species and categories of animals based on their ability to tolerate the materials.

He said that efforts to alleviate the inadequacies in the supply of conventional feedstuffs should be geared towards exploring the availability, as well as inexpensive agro-industrial and industrial by-products.

“To play prominent roles in animal nutrition research, the Nigerian government should establish centres of excellence in animal science with the state-of-the-art equipment to serve as hubs for R & D in feed resources.

“To this end, with the noble contributions of LAUTECH to livestock production and particular feed resources research in Nigeria, a centre of excellence is hereby canvassed for the university,” he said.

The varsity don also called on government at all levels to invest more in education, saying that a lot needed to be done in terms of funding of research, acquisition of equipment, enabling atmosphere and improved remuneration.

Emiola also said that government should be more responsible in the implementation of agreements with stakeholders in the education sector, so as to reduce the incessant and avoidable industrial crisis that disrupts academic activities.