An AGRA-led matchmaking platform designed to connect agribusinesses with investors and financiers. (Image credit: AGRA)

The Poultry Futures Forum 2025 has officially opened in Lusaka, marking a pivotal moment for Southern Africa’s ambition to build stronger, more resilient poultry value chains.

Led by AGRA under the Southern Africa Poultry Initiative (SAPI), the Forum calls for a decisive shift from fragmented national interventions to a unified regional strategy. AGRA stressed that coordinated action is essential to boost production, reduce feed costs, enhance climate resilience and unlock deeper private sector investment while championing innovation and the leadership of young entrepreneurs.

The event has drawn an influential mix of stakeholders, including SADC government representatives, commercial poultry businesses, grain processors, researchers, financiers and agri-preneurs. Their shared goal is to accelerate practical, cross-country collaboration to resolve the structural challenges that continue to hold back the growth of the poultry industry.

This year’s Forum builds on the outcomes of the inaugural meeting held in Dar es Salaam in 2024, where delegates agreed on the need for a shared regional roadmap. Over the past year, several countries have made meaningful progress by aligning national action plans with the overarching regional poultry agenda, showing growing commitment to collective development.

In his opening message, AGRA Board Chair, H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, highlighted the momentum already taking shape, stating: “Over the past year, we have seen encouraging momentum. Several countries have developed national poultry action plans. Youth entrepreneurs are bringing new digital solutions to production and marketing. Most notably, we have launched the Poultry Feed Accelerator Grand Challenge – a direct response to the number one constraint identified by producers across our region: the high and volatile cost of feed. This initiative invites innovators, researchers and investors to present breakthrough ideas that can lower feed costs while improving quality and sustainability.”

True to its mission of inclusive growth, the Forum places young people and women at the centre of its agenda. A dedicated Youth Poultry Forum and Innovation Pitch provides a platform to showcase emerging entrepreneurs whose innovations are addressing key industry challenges from feed technology and disease control to climate resilience and market access. AGRA aims to spotlight these rising leaders who are shaping a more dynamic and competitive poultry sector across the continent.

Peter Kapala, Zambia’s Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, said, “The government of Zambia has prioritized poultry development under the eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) and the Comprehensive Agriculture Transformation Support Programme (CATSP), in alignment with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). Zambia takes pride in its position as a regional leader, particularly in the export of day-old chicks and specialty birds such as quails. The government is committed to creating an enabling environment to strengthen the domestic and regional poultry market, safeguard local producers, and promote value addition. This commitment includes: inclusive policies that empower smallholder farmers, women, and youth, improved access to quality feed, veterinary services, and climate-smart practices, promotion of affordable technology and digital advisory services.”

Throughout the Forum, discussions will explore opportunities for greater private sector collaboration, particularly in expanding regional feed manufacturing capacity and reinforcing input supply chains. Delegates will also examine how climate-resilient production systems and improved disease management strategies can support long-term sector sustainability. These include new genetics and animal health solutions designed to strengthen productivity even under climate stress.

SAPI Technical Lead Alexander Stewart, said, “The Poultry Futures Forum high-level discussions and working sessions are focused on aligning policy and regulatory frameworks to improve cross-border trade and market integration across SADC. Through this coordination, the partners aim to help countries draft and refine national poultry action plans that align with regional goals for food security and economic growth.”

A major highlight of the event is the Deal Rooms, an AGRA-led matchmaking platform designed to connect agribusinesses with investors and financiers. These sessions aim to accelerate enterprise growth across the value chain from feed production and processing to cold chain logistics and packaging ultimately supporting a more competitive and sustainable poultry sector for the region.

PRISMA project outcomes in relation to agricultural priorities across West Africa and the Sahel.

Nigeria is grappling with a severe livestock feed crisis, with more than 50 million cattle inadequately nourished, according to Idi Mukhtar Maiha, the Minister of Livestock Development.

Describing the situation as a critical threat to rural livelihoods and national stability, the minister called for urgent action at both national and regional levels.

Maiha delivered the warning during the opening of a two-day Policy Dialogue Workshop convened to assess PRISMA project outcomes in relation to agricultural priorities across West Africa and the Sahel. Organised by the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food under ECOWAS, the event gathered policymakers, technical experts and development partners working to strengthen agricultural systems in the region.

Peter Alike, Director of the Technical Office of the Permanent Secretary, said, “In Nigeria, we have over 50mn cattle in the hands of rural dwellers, and these are animals that must be fed. So, for us, feeding and indeed, food is a national imperative that we cannot even leave for tomorrow. He further emphasised the wider implications of feed shortages, noting that inadequate nutrition for animals threatens incomes, food security and community stability.

Maiha reinforced the urgency, stating: “It is an emergency because the tangential effect of not being able to provide the necessary feed for our animals has a direct effect on our very existence, rural livelihood and human peace.”

During the workshop, Alike outlined the ministry’s long-term strategy for the livestock sector, referencing a 2025–2030 plan aimed at boosting productivity and resilience. He noted that livestock currently contributes around US$32bn to Nigeria’s GDP, but with effective development, the sector could generate more than US$94bn within the next decade.

Maiha also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development, stressing its importance for regional cooperation. He remarked: “If you have a project of this magnitude and you exclude Nigeria, then you are not likely to succeed because I don’t know of any other country in West Africa and the Sahel that has a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development.” His comments underscored Nigeria’s pivotal role in advancing livestock initiatives across ECOWAS and the Sahel.

The workshop, part of PRISMA’s efforts to link research and innovation to regional needs, is focused on improving feed quality, enhancing productivity and building resilience in agro-pastoral systems. Maiha’s intervention made clear that securing adequate livestock feed must become a top policy priority, backed by coordinated national planning and strengthened regional collaboration.

The partnership was announced during the Saudi AgriFood Tech Alliance (SAFTA) Forum on November 4, 2025.

In a major step toward sustainable agriculture and climate innovation, Tanmiah Food Company, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading poultry producers, has joined forces with Strataphy, a pioneer in geothermal cooling technology, to establish the Middle East and North Africa’s first geothermal-cooled poultry farm.

The groundbreaking pilot project will be located at Tanmiah’s Shaqrah Facility, marking a significant milestone in the region’s journey toward agricultural decarbonization.

The partnership was announced during the Saudi AgriFood Tech Alliance (SAFTA) Forum on November 4, 2025, under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Mansour Hilal Al Mushaiti, Vice Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.

Zulfiqar Hamadani, CEO of Tanmiah Food Company, emphasized that innovation and sustainability form the core of Tanmiah’s long-term vision.

“This partnership with Strataphy transforms our climate goals into real-world action,” Hamadani said. “Geothermal cooling not only supports our sustainability objectives but also delivers operational efficiency and aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.”

The new system will use Strataphy’s geothermal cooling technology, which taps into the Earth’s naturally stable underground temperatures through shallow boreholes. This provides a continuous, energy-efficient cooling solution—reducing dependence on conventional HVAC systems, cutting power consumption, and lowering carbon emissions.

Implemented under Strataphy’s Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) model, the project eliminates upfront costs for Tanmiah. Instead, it turns cooling into a predictable operational expense, with Strataphy managing system design, drilling, installation, and ongoing maintenance. The service model guarantees long-term performance and cost savings while reducing the environmental footprint of poultry production.

According to Ammar Alali, CEO of Strataphy, the collaboration represents a new era for clean technology in food production. He said, “In hot climates, poultry cooling can be a major energy drain. Our geothermal solution turns that challenge into an opportunity for sustainability and efficiency,” Alali explained. “This project proves that Saudi Arabia can lead the world in low-carbon agricultural innovation.”

The Shaqrah initiative is the first phase in Tanmiah’s broader plan to decarbonize its operations nationwide. Insights from the pilot will guide future geothermal deployments across Tanmiah’s network, potentially reshaping poultry farming economics throughout Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region.

Muhammad Abbas Khan, Chief Strategy Officer at Tanmiah, added,“We’re proud to pioneer a solution that’s both economically viable and environmentally responsible. This initiative redefines how energy is used in food production and sets a benchmark for sustainable farming in arid regions.”

With cooling accounting for over 70% of Saudi Arabia’s building energy use, geothermal technology offers a scalable path to energy efficiency and food system resilience supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions for sustainability and innovation in agriculture.

Its goal is to create bacteriocin-rich extracts from specially engineered lactic acid bacteria.

Nigeria is stepping up its fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with an innovative agricultural research project aimed at finding safer, home-grown replacements for antibiotics commonly used in livestock and fish farming

A team of scientists from Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and Spain are joining forces at the University of Ilorin to develop a locally produced and affordable solution that supports farmers while protecting animal health.

The project, named BAC4RumA, is funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the UK’s Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF). Its goal is to create bacteriocin-rich extracts from specially engineered lactic acid bacteria - natural substances that can effectively replace antibiotics in treating diseases in cattle and fish.

Project leader in Nigeria, Dr. Ismail Odetokun, explained that early laboratory results are encouraging. The new extracts have shown stronger results than traditional antibiotics in tackling infections such as mastitis in cattle and bacterial diseases in fish. According to him, the research team is now preparing for field trials, with many farmers already showing interest in adopting these safer and more sustainable solutions.

Highlighting the growing danger of AMR, Najete Safini of IDRC described it as a “silent pandemic” that threatens both food production and public health. She emphasised the need to build Nigeria’s own capacity to respond, saying that home-grown solutions would offer stronger, long-term protection for the nation’s food systems.

 Mahmoud Eltholth of Royal Holloway University of London added that the partnership focuses on sustainability by empowering Nigerian scientists and research institutions to develop animal health innovations locally, reducing dependence on imported drugs.

With livestock and aquaculture contributing over US$33 trillion to Nigeria’s economy annually, experts believe this research could transform the agricultural sector. By providing farmers with safer alternatives to antibiotics, the project has the potential to boost productivity, protect animal welfare, and safeguard millions of livelihoods.

If successful, the BAC4RumA initiative could position Nigeria as a leading example for other African countries seeking to reduce antibiotic use in agriculture while strengthening their food security and export potential.