A professor and the registrar CEO of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, Ayemere Iyayi expressed his optimism that the partnership between the institute and Premier Agribusiness Academy (PAA) will broaden livestock farmers’ capacity to assist in transforming the industry in Nigeria.
He stated that the partnership will soon start to yield positive results as farmers keep learning new skills and make use of technologies to drive growth in the industry.
He stated that the MoU aims at creating a convergence between what NAIS does as a government agency specifically for animal husbandry regulation of the industry including training and stakeholders’ development in the livestock value chain.
He further explained that while the NAIS has the repository of the exert body, it is not oblivious of the need for a recognized, professional institute like PAA to assist in driving its livestock development agenda, consequent to the knowledge and skills of market development acquired by the academy over the years.
“We expect that with our collaboration with PAA, there will be an upliftment in the skill acquisition of all those that are connected with livestock production,” he said.
“We are hopeful that the knowledge that will be acquired through the training that will take place will assist in enhancing our skills and improving livestock business across the value chain which will result in better profitability and productivity of livestock business.”
“Our choice of Premier Agribusiness Academy as facilitators is due to the antecedents of the academy’s excellence and participation testaments from their past training programs as well as the partnerships they had with world class institutes around the world.”
In a meeting held recently between NIAS, IITA, and PAA Ajayi stated that lack of quality and affordable livestock feeds as a result of reduced maize and soybean production in the country.
It has become imperative for NAIS to be attentive to the production of livestock feed to prevent starvation, indebtedness, and unprofitability of farmers specifically those that still struggle to remain in the business.
He stressed that the solution is farmer participation.
