Some poultry farmers in Bwari Area Council of the FCT, on Monday in Abuja, decried the incessant rise in the cost of poultry feeds, while also groaning over low patronage in the sale of birds in the market.

The farmers expressed their concerns in separate interviews in Abuja on Monday, while calling on producers and suppliers to consider a reasonable intervention.

One of the farmers, Mrs Joy Felix, said that although poultry farming was a profitable business that involved a lot of capital, it had, however, suffered set backs at the point of sales.

“You spend so much in setting up and most importantly the cost of feed hardly comes down once it goes up. Sometimes it suffers artificial scarcity and then a hike in price when it resurfaces.

“Once it is the fourth quarter of the year when a lot of people keep birds for either personal or commercial purposes during the Christmas season, the rush that comes with it gives the producers of these feeds a high advantage to make money and at the end of the day, you spend so much feeding these birds and then buyers bargain for less.

“It is somewhat frustrating. At the end, you may have to sell at a give-away price so you do not loose.”

Felix added that the cost of drugs for the birds was another challenge to the farmers, who are forced to use organic methods to treat diseases in birds.

“We sometimes use medicinal plants like bitter leaves and pawpaw leaves to either treat minor infections or boost their feeding, except when the situation is severe and in dire need of a veterinarian,” she said.

She urged various farmers’ associations, as well as other stakeholders to intervene and assist in finding a lasting solution to the challenges, with the hope to ease the plight of the farmers.

Similarly, Mr Ayo Bamidele, another poultry farmer, said that the cost of chicken feeds is so high, ranging from N10,000 to N14,000 per 50kg bag in the last one month, depending on the brand and location of farm.

According to Bamidele, a lot of farmers find it difficult to sell their birds during the festivities because, there is usually more supply of the birds than demands for it.

He said: “The cost of feeds has made farmers to put high price on the birds yet, buyers do not have that kind of money to buy them.

“Some of us actually made good breeds grow well enough for the price we put but the buyers don’t know this, they have no idea what it takes to feed and make  the birds gain weight.

“Also, with the economic situation, people want to buy but they don’t have the money. It is unfortunate. I wish we all can just help each other make things easy for ourselves.”

He, however, said that he was optimistic that he would make profitable sells against all odds, during and after the yuletide.

Mr Elimah Jacob, a distributor of poultry feeds in Bwari town, said that the high cost of feed was not new but a challenge that usually came with the period of mass poultry farming, especially before December.

He also said that the increase in prices of the feeds was usually from companies that produce the goods, whom, he added, also complained about either scarcity or shortage of raw materials for sufficient production.

Jacob also attributed the challenge to cost of transportation from the suppliers to the distributors, which has risen a great deal.

“We pay for bags of feeds in millions and the transportation, which may be in one or more trailer vehicles, cost a fortune also.

“Most times, you pay in full, yet, it takes several weeks before your supplies arrive because, the demand may be high at that moment and it takes turns to service distributors.

“By the time it finally gets to the point of sale, there is usually a rush for it.”

He noted that the prices, though not constant, may go lower after the Christmas celebration. (NAN)

A cross section of Abuja residents have expressed mixed feelings over the consumption of Fura da Nono.

The residents in separate interviews on Thursday in Abuja, said the unhygienic nature in the preparation of fura da nono put them away from it.

While others are of the views that they don’t mind the preparation process, they enjoy the milk because of its numerous benefits.

Reports says that fura da nono is fermented milk-cereal mix locally. It is highly nutritious beverage which is a two-in-one product.

Consisting of a cereal, ‘fura’ made from millet and ‘nono’ fermented cow-milk product similar to yoghurt.

Mr Adam Ibrahim, a shop keeper at Area 10, Garki said he takes nono because of it nutritional benefit adding that it was a natural drink.

“ I take nono because it is natural, no preservatives and not refined,’’ he said.

He, however, advised that cleanliness must be the watch word when consuming fura da nono, adding that he buys the product from a clean and a reliable vendor.

“There is a lady that packages fura da nono in containers to sell rather than patronising those who carry it in bowls with flies following around,’’ he said.

Tope Faseun, a cosmetologist at the Nyanya market said that nono is healthy and good to be consumed fresh.

She said that taking nono helps to improve the sperm cells of a male reproductive organ.

Mrs Agada Grace, a roasted plantain and corn seller in Garki, said that   fura da nono  helps to cool her body after staying close to the fire all day.

“Nono is a good drink that refreshes your body after a hard day. For me, the drink helps me to sleep well because it relaxes my body,’’ she said.

Mr Kolade Akin, a cobbler in Garki said that the extraction method, environment and sometimes the unhygienic nature of the persons extracting the milk makes it unhealthy for me.

“The process of extracting nono and also the preparatory method of it, is likely to expose the drink to bacterial and can lead to food burn diseases,’’ he said.

Wale Ridwan, a corps member said that fura da nono irritates him due to the unhygienic method of the extraction and preparation.

“Fura da nono irritates me because of the extraction of the milk and the preparation of the millet which are done manually.

“It is not processed, can be contaminated and can pose a great health challenge to individuals who consume the milk meal and drink,’’ he said.

Some women leaders and entrepreneurs have canvassed for more empowerment and support initiatives to develop rural women in the Federal Capital Territory.

The women made the call in separate interviews on Monday in Abuja against the backdrop of the 2023 International Day for the Rural Woman.

NAN reports that the UN sets aside Oct.

15 annually to celebrate the rural woman whom it said contributes about 40 per cent of agricultural labour in developing nations.

NAN also reports that the theme of the 2023 international day is “Rural Women: Cultivating Good Food for All.’’

Mrs Afiniki Dauda, an entrepreneur and a market leader in Guto community, Bwari District, said that the government and other organisations need to put more efforts to develop women at the grassroots.

According to her, lack of access to finance and other services had been common obstacles for rural women in Nigeria, in spite of their efforts to be productive.

She said: “Gender inequalities, discrimination and social norms have always put women in a less advantage to access agricultural extension service.

“This also happens when they try to access the bigger markets or land and formal financial services in spite their high participation in the agriculture sector in the society.

“Rural women still find it difficult to access loans, insurance on crops, livestock and other productive resources, making it difficult for them to engage in entrepreneurship.

“For me, these limitations are worsened by lack of finance and management knowledge, business literacy and other empowerment strategies.

“This is why government at all levels and private organisations need to intensify efforts to support them if we really want to boost food production and bring about rural development in the process’’.

Dauda added that stakeholders needed to work together with women groups at the rural level to hold regular empowerment workshops that would enrich productivity.

Similarly, Mrs Grace Ojo, Programme Manager, Ruth Foundation Network, an NGO, said that government and local professional organisations play vital role in rural development.

Ojo said that, although the efforts by both government and other organisations have been relentless in supporting rural women, there has been limited progress in addressing the challenges faced by rural women.

“There is a need to reinforce capacities of rural women to increase their income and access to inputs, knowledge, market and decent work.

“We need to also strengthen institutional capacity to implement laws that will help facilitate access to financial services, as well as advance women’s rights to land ownership.

“We must engage them on the go, so as to drive at solving their immediate challenges and not discourage them at their best performance,’’ she said.

Ojo said the rural woman remained an important sector of the society and needed all support to meet up in every aspect of life, especially since they contribute to the economy in various trades.

Mrs Maryamu Barnabas, a women and youth activist also opined that issues affecting the elderly women at the grassroots should also be put into consideration.

Barnabas said that due to the rapid increase in population, there was the need for a health management service for the elderly.

She said: “Rural elderly women experience a low quality of life due to financial difficulties, psychosocial isolation and lack of general support.

“So, in all our schedules towards promoting the rural woman and her trade or business, access to healthcare should be paramount as well. It is indeed a vital support system.

“We all can only work when we are alive and in good health condition’’. (NAN)