Poultry Farmers
Supports Schools Feeding Policy
The
Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) says it plans to work with
the National Assembly to review the legislation on the schools-
feeding-programme.
The President of the association, Mallam Kabir Ibrahim, said in
Abuja that the association was consulting with the Chairman of
the House Committee on Agriculture, to review the programme’s
menu to include egg, a high source of protein that should be in
the daily diet of children.
He said that government needed to ensure that school children
were well-fed, as part of the drive at achieving the development
goals and the MDGs.
’’We recognise the move by government to transform the feeding
system of Nigerian children in a bid to end hunger and
malnutrition, in pursuance of this objective, PAN will ensure
adequate provision of eggs and poultry production to fill the
gap,’’ he said.
Mallam Ibrahim said the association was also collaborating with
the Institute of Animal Sciences, Zaria, to increase livestock
production through the use of modern technology.
‘Flu control’
The poultry farmer commended the government and donor
agencies for their quick response in controlling the spread of
Avian Influenza in Nigeria in Year 2006.
He expressed satisfaction with the steps taken by the government
in addressing the challenges posed by the flu and the payment of
compensation to farmers after their birds were culled.
Egg export
He said the association would revisit the issue of exporting
eggs, a move that was shelved in 2006 as a result of outbreak of
the flu.
’’The clean bill of health issued to Nigeria by the World Bank
and Food and Agriculture Organisation on AI, is an indication
that Nigeria is AI free.’’ He said.
’’To this end, negotiation on the export of eggs to other West
African countries can resume,’’ he added.
NAN/Yinka
