A four-day conference backed by the United Nations was recently held in Ruweng Administrative Area, bringing together 80 representatives to have focused discussions on strengthening security, thereby ensuring a peaceful migration of cattle across state borders, this year

In an attempt to reduce cost of production and effects of incessant price volatility in the animal feed industry, the federal government and development partners have proffered a roadmap for National Alternative Feed resources

This was revealed by the Honorable Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar at the second National Animal Feed Summit held in Abuja recently. 

Abubakar mentioned that the summit with the theme Harnessing Alternative Feed Resources for Sustainable Animal Feed Supply aligned with the aspirations and agenda of the Federal Government. He also pointed out that the role of animal feed in Nigeria’s Agriculture sector was critical as it would provide essential nutrients and support for livestock and production.

Speaking further, the Minister stated that to meet the increasing demand for animal feed in Nigeria, there was need for innovation and technology to develop sustainable and efficient production methods which would support small scale and rural communities. He therefore charged stakeholders to deliberate on a single platform, strategies and come up with robust implementable National Animal Feed policy.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ernest Umakhihe, stated that the feed sector had the potential to engage more than 20 million Nigerians, as the industry was yet to reach 25% of its market size. He further noted that Nigeria’s animal feed sector remained underdeveloped, due to high cost of ingredients and other production factors, which resulted in market dislocation and hampered access to products, thereby barring an average farmer out of the supply net. These challenges have necessitated the need for the National Animal Feed Summit, he added.

“As we gather here today, we must leverage our comparative advantage to proffering solutions to the challenges in the Animal Feed. As we continue to experience the impact of climate change in Agriculture activities, we need to explore sustainable practices in animal feed production to guarantee farmers access to affordable feed all year round,” said managing partner of Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition, Temi Adegoroye.

Compassion in World Farming has called out the seafood certification scheme, Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), for failing to improve the welfare of the hundreds of millions of farmed fish it certifies every year

BAP, which is administered by Global Seafood Alliance, was chosen as the focus for the campaign as they have done the least to improve farmed fish welfare out of the four biggest global fish certification schemes in the last three years. The scheme certifies seafood that is sold all over the world. 

In 2020, the animal welfare and environmental NGO launched a global campaign urging the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), BAP, Friend of the Sea (FOS) and GLOBAL G.A.P to introduce or improve on their welfare standards for farmed fish.  

Since then, all have made some efforts to improve farmed fish welfare. The US-based BAP is the only one of these schemes to have made no significant welfare improvements at all for the up to 500 million farmed fish they certify.  

Compassion in World Farming says poor animal welfare not only leads to fish suffering but also greater environmental damage and is calling for the following fish welfare improvements: 

• Mandatory species-specific stocking densities based on scientific and welfare evidence. Very high stocking densities lead to an increased susceptibility to disease, physical injuries, and stress, and reduced growth and water quality.  

• A ban on the routine use of antibiotics as this contributes to antibiotic resistance issues.    

• A ban on the killing of predators such as seabirds and marine mammals 

• Mandatory species-specific limits to fasting periods. Currently, farms can decide how long fish should fast before being transported or slaughtered in order to clear the gut so that less waste is excreted into the water.  BAP should establish time limits to ensure fish are not fasted for any longer than is absolutely necessary. 

• Appropriate environmental enrichments for each species, such as shelters, hanging ropes, rods or kelp which crates curtains, to meet the behavioural needs of fish.  

• A reduction/ban on wild-caught fish as feed. The use of fishmeal and oil (FMFO) from wild-caught fish for aquaculture feeds contributes to the overfishing of wild populations and has welfare implications. Fish caught from the wild suffer immensely during the processes of catching, landing, and killing.  A significant proportion will die, crushed under the weight of other fish in the nets, while fish that survive capture and landing, will be simply left to asphyxiate, or may die during processing.  

• Mandatory species-specific humane slaughter methods to ensure all species have a quick and pain-free death. 

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Government through the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry (MECTHI), launched the 10-year Lake Kariba Inshore Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) to achieve optimal and sustainable utilisation of fisheries resource for the benefit of humankind while also safeguarding the ecosystem