Don Advocates Research-Backed Policies To Boost Animal, Food Production

A Professor of Animal Nutrition at the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, Patience Onu, has urged the Federal Government to focus on research-driven policies to boost food and animal production in Nigeria.
Onu made the call in an interview with NAN yesterday in Abakaliki, saying that the initiative would ensure both subsistence and commercial farmers benefited equally.
The don stressed the importance of aligning government policy with research to address the unique challenges of Nigerian farmers.
She emphasised that while the government’s framework on food security and animal production held promise, it fell short in adequately reaching small-holder farmers and scaling up innovations for commercial producers.
The professor commended the President Bola Tinubu-led administration for initiating policies aimed at engaging the youth in both subsistence and commercial farming to boost food sufficiency.
“The federal government’s policies are commendable in principle, but practical execution remains a challenge.
“There is a need for inclusive support to ensure that subsistence farmers gain access to technical assistance, while commercial farmers require specific incentives such as feed subsidies and tax reliefs,” Onu said.
Onu insisted that a policy shift toward research-driven animal and food production would bridge the gap between policy formulation and field-level implementation that would lead in boosting food security.
She noted that the Federal Government’s policy framework on agriculture had demonstrated good intentions, but asserted that its real impact depended on how well it addressed the specific needs of both small-holder and commercial farmers.
“The policy shows good intentions, especially with its emphasis on self-sufficiency and value chain development.
“However, the real challenge lies in inclusivity and access; subsistence farmers often lack the technical support and inputs to benefit, while commercial producers need more targeted incentives like tax reliefs, feed subsidies and research-backed innovations,” she added.
Onu, whose research focuses on poultry nutrition, feed additives and herbal alternatives in animal production, highlighted the urgent need for government to adopt innovative feeding strategies to scale livestock productivity sustainable in the face of rising food insecurity.
“We must localise feed formulation using agro by-products like cassava peels, maize offal, and brewer’s grains.
“There should also be a strong push for fortified, balanced rations tailored to different livestock species; government investment in rural-based feed mills and community feed banks can make a huge difference.”