Aviagen Anadolu successful hosted its ninth technical seminar in Belek, Antalya, Türkiye, from 28–29 April, bringing together poultry professionals, industry experts and customers from across Türkiye for 1.5 days of knowledge sharing, innovation and collaboration

The seminar featured a comprehensive program focused on broiler and breeder management, flock performance, hatchery technologies, disease prevention, nutrition and emerging industry trends.

Participants benefited from presentations delivered by Aviagen specialists and international guest speakers, who shared practical insights and the latest developments shaping the poultry sector.

Discussions throughout the event emphasized improving production efficiency, bird health, meat quality and sustainability across poultry operations. The Aviagen Anadolu team also highlighted the importance of continued education and collaboration in supporting customers and advancing poultry production standards throughout the region.

The seminar also provided an opportunity for attendees to strengthen professional relationships and exchange experiences during networking sessions, panel discussions and the gala dinner.

The closing session included an interactive panel discussion, giving customers the opportunity to engage directly with presenters and ask questions related to the topics covered throughout the seminar. The event concluded with a group photo and a special Club awards presentation recognizing outstanding customer performance with Ross flocks.

During the awards ceremony, the Aviagen Anadolu team honored the top three Club award winners with certificates and awards in recognition of their exceptional production results. The Clubs celebrate customers who demonstrate outstanding dedication, management excellence and performance achievements with their Ross flocks.

“The seminar was highly valuable in terms of covering technical topics and demonstrating the development and future direction of the Ross breed. It provided an excellent opportunity for our teams to further develop their knowledge. The event was also very enjoyable socially, especially with the recognition and celebration of successful performers during the closing session.”, said İsmail Ertonga, Vice General Manager, Beypiliç.

Sharing his perspective on the seminar, Güven Atlı, General Manager, Keskinoğlu, commented: “The topics covered during the seminar and the expertise shared by the speakers were extremely valuable for our team. We sincerely appreciated the care, attention and support shown by the Aviagen Anadolu team throughout the event. Their hospitality and professionalism made the experience especially meaningful for all attendees.”

Reflecting on the success of the seminar, Yüksel Öztürk, Production Manager, Orallar, added: “The organization of the seminar was excellent from start to finish. The presentations addressed current industry challenges with practical and result-oriented information delivered by highly experienced experts. We were extremely pleased with both the content and the overall event experience.”

Rıza Elmas, Senior Technical Manager, Aviagen Anadolu, added: “We dedicated significant preparation over the past year to ensure the success of this seminar. The program was carefully designed to address key areas across the entire production chain, including hatchery operations, management practices, health, nutrition, data analysis, ventilation and processing. We also explored the future genetic potential of the Ross 308 and the opportunities it presents for our customers.

We were especially pleased to welcome more than 150 customers, including many key decision-makers from across the region. The seminar served as an important platform for industry professionals to connect, exchange ideas and discuss future opportunities for improving performance and achieving genetic potential.

I would like to sincerely thank our Technical Managers, especially Orhun Tikit, along with Ahmet Emrah Örtlek and Kifah Abutumeh, whose dedication and hard work played a major role in making this event a success. Together with the Aviagen Anadolu team and our global experts, we were proud to deliver a truly valuable and memorable seminar experience.”

Nigeria’s livestock sector is gaining fresh attention as a new development framework promises to open up opportunities across the industry.

The President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Akajiugo Emeka Obegolu, has shared an optimistic outlook, stating that the initiative could create up to 350,000 jobs within its first two years.

According to Obegolu, the framework is designed to attract investment and support growth across the entire livestock value chain. Central to this effort is the planned Livestock Development Fund, which aims to make financing more accessible for farmers, processors, and other stakeholders. With better access to funding, businesses in the sector are expected to expand and improve their operations.

He also praised the current administration for establishing a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development, describing it as a timely and strategic move. This step, he explained, gives the sector the focused attention it needs to reach its full potential. Rather than taking direct control, the government is encouraged to create supportive policies and regulations that allow private investors to play a leading role.

The scale of opportunity within the livestock industry is significant. Obegolu noted that the sector could be worth around 33 trillion naira, covering areas such as meat production, dairy, leather, and poultry. With proper planning and investment, these segments can contribute strongly to economic growth.

He highlighted the importance of improving key areas such as feed systems, animal breeding, and veterinary services. Advancing techniques like artificial insemination and better genetics can help increase productivity and efficiency across farms.

Another major focus is the need to modernise how meat is processed and transported. Moving away from the traditional practice of transporting live animals over long distances, he suggested a system that relies on processed meat and cold chain logistics. This approach would reduce losses, maintain quality, and improve overall efficiency.

With growing collaboration between the government and private sector, the livestock industry is steadily moving towards a more structured and sustainable future. The proposed framework is expected to support job creation, improve food supply, and strengthen Nigeria’s wider economy.

Africa, especially the eastern and southern regions, where the agricultural sector is central for food and nutrition security, economic development, and rural livelihoods, subsidies and broader public support policies are critical to building resilient, inclusive food systems to advance sustainable development objectives 

Input subsidy programmes, including inorganic fertiliser and maize seed, eat up most of the public investments, however. It should rather be channelised towards broader policy interventions that cover extension and research and development. 

The International Institute for Sustainable Development has released a report titled 'From Subsidies to Sustainability', trying to identify the best conditions for reforming public support to agriculture improve productivity, equity and environmental sustainability outcomes in Eastern and Southern Africa? It takes note of public support and reform experiences in Kenya, Malawi and Zambia, exploring how different subsidy models have influenced development outcomes and identifying lessons learned from these experiences.

Kenya, for example, can rely on centralised subsidy programmes for prompt stabilisation of input prices in cases of market volatilities, but affect longer-term progress on equity and sustainability goals.

In Malawi, sustained long-term efforts in the way of soil health pilots can transform agriculture and food systems to grow resilient but may come at the cost of temporary reductions in yields.

Subsidies are more than just input price reductions, going beyond affordability to also include equitable access. Access inequality marked many African countries, where the poorest and most marginalised farmers get left out of available schemes. While reforms have the power to cut down the costs of agricultural inputs, it cannot guarantee equal access unless distribution points are identified strategically to ensure uniform supply.

Arranging awareness programmes also play a significant role in expanding the reach of subsidies and support schemes. The effectiveness of subsidies also depends on soil health. Investments to boost the quality of degraded soils can ensure better results from fertilisers. Regional policy frameworks, such as the African Fertiliser and Soil Health Plan (2024–2034) are increasingly identifying the bridges that connect soil health and yields, as part of integrated soil health management and improved soil health for sustainable productivity growth.

Early findings from Malawi’s soil health pilots, corroborated by results from soil health pilots in India, points towards the need for organic and blended organic-inorganic inputs over inorganic fertilisers alongside support for soil management to increase yields.

Reforms and their impact are influenced by a combination of fiscal pressure, broader policies and local conditions for farmers. Price shocks in Kenya, debt reform in Zambia, and foreign exchange constraints in Malawi all played a role in creating space and political will for reform. The outcomes of these reforms depended on tenure security, access to extension services, the quality of inputs, access to finance, and markets for agricultural produce.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken a fresh step towards improving its dairy sector through a new agreement with Nestlé Nigeria Plc.

This partnership will lead to the creation of a Dairy Technical Skills Development Centre in the Federal Capital Territory, aimed at strengthening local production and improving the livestock value chain.

Speaking in Abuja, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, described the agreement as more than a formal step. He explained that it is a practical move to tackle one of the sector’s biggest challenges, which is the lack of technical knowledge and hands on farming skills.

Despite Nigeria’s large cattle population, dairy output remains low. The Minister pointed out the gap clearly, stating, “The reality is that our traditional pastoral systems currently yield an average of merely one to two litres of milk per cow daily.” He explained that this situation is caused by several long standing issues.

“This low productivity is directly linked to a systematic deficit in modern husbandry practices, inadequate feed formulation and lack of clean portable water, as well as impact of climate change and a lack of proficiency in essential areas such as artificial insemination, herd health management and milk hygiene leading to huge post-harvest losses,” he added.

The new centre is expected to serve as a place where farmers can gain real experience and learn modern techniques. Maiha stressed the importance of practical learning, saying, “We are actively aware that theoretical knowledge, while important, cannot substitute for hands-on experience in farm management.”

He also highlighted the need to meet global standards. “Therefore I have directed that the curriculum for this centre must be rigorously benchmarked against the best standards in the global dairy industry.”

The training will focus mainly on practical work, covering areas such as breeding, animal care, feeding, hygiene, and farm management.

Nestlé Nigeria also shared its commitment to the project, noting its ongoing investment in dairy communities. “Through the project, Nestlé Nigeria has invested over 1.8 billion Naira to support dairy communities in and around Pai-Konkore and the Luger grazing reserves.”

This initiative is expected to improve productivity, increase farmers’ incomes, and reduce Nigeria’s reliance on dairy imports.