Nigerian poultry farmers receive compensation

 

 

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources has said that it has paid N630 million (US$4.24 million) as compensation to poultry farmers whose birds were culled during the outbreak of bird flu between 2006 and 2009.

 

According to Minister Sayyadi Ruma, a total of 1.26 million birds were culled during the exercise, while 3,030 farmers received payments across the Federal Capital Territory and the 25 states affected during the outbreak.

 

The first bird flu outbreak in the country was reported in 2006 at Sambawa Farms in Kaduna State before it spread to other states.

 

A break down of the payments showed that farmers from Kano, Edo, Plateau, Lagos, Adamawa, Jigawa, Edo, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kastina, Yobe and FCT received N86.2 million (US$580,550).

 

Ruma said the compensation was part of the government's strategy to ensure that the poultry industry remained in business.

 

He said the ministry was compiling data to determine the number of affected farmers who re-established their businesses, and mapping out strategies for the return of those who had not resumed business.

 

He noted that 2008 estimates indicated that the poultry industry had a population of more than 145 million birds. Commercial farms account for 25%, semi-commercial farms, 15% and backyard farms 60%.

 

The minister said the industry was vital to the national economy with a net worth of more than N40 billion (US$269.3 million) and serving as a source of livelihood to many families.

 

He said the government had outlined programmes aimed at addressing the major challenges militating against the development of the industry so as to evolve an efficient system of production and distribution.

 

Meanwhile, the ministry had also established a control post at Seme, a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic, to monitor poultry importation.