…As group demands compensation for affected farmers

The Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign (FFRC) has called on the Ogun State and federal governments to urgently intervene in an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) reportedly affecting pig farms across the state.

Speaking through the National Coordinator food and farmer’s rights, campaigns, Mr. Eko John Nicholas, the group, disclosed that the outbreak had particularly affected farmers in the Ikangba/Agoro axis, causing losses estimated at millions of naira and forcing some farmers to abandon their businesses.

Nicholas said the outbreak had persisted for several weeks and was the third major occurrence of ASF to affect the state’s pig industry in the past decade.

He urged the Ogun State Government to establish the extent of the outbreak and provide immediate support to affected farmers, including compensation, relief materials, subsidised disinfectants and fumigants, as well as access to soft loans at single-digit interest rates.

According to the FFRC, the price of live pigs has also fallen sharply since the outbreak.

He explained that pigs that previously sold for between N2,000 and N2,500 per kilogramme were now being offered at between N700 and N900 per kilogramme, as farmers struggled to dispose of infected or potentially exposed animals.

The spokesperson said some farmers were burying dead pigs daily, while others had left the industry because of the financial losses.

The FFRC stressed that ASF is not transmissible to humans but said its high level of contagion and mortality among pigs could have severe economic consequences for farmers and the wider food system.

Nicholas called for strengthened disease surveillance, biosecurity measures and quarantine procedures in affected communities to contain the spread.

He also urged pig farmers in the Ikangba/Agoro area to organise meetings, press conferences, rallies and other peaceful actions to draw attention to their plight and pressure the authorities to respond.

While acknowledging that there is currently no widely available commercial vaccine capable of providing effective protection against ASF, the FFRC said greater investment was needed in veterinary research, disease surveillance and preventive measures.

He criticised what it described as inadequate government investment in agricultural research and development, arguing that institutions such as the Nigerian Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, Plateau State, and universities should be better supported to develop vaccines and other disease-control measures.

The organisation said the recurring outbreaks demonstrated the need for a coordinated national response to livestock diseases, including stronger veterinary extension services and support for farmers affected by disease-control measures.

The FFRC further linked the crisis to broader concerns about food security and access to affordable sources of animal protein, arguing that disruptions to pig production could worsen economic hardship for farmers and consumers.

He called on the Ogun and federal governments to engage directly with affected farmers, assess their losses and implement measures aimed at containing the outbreak while helping producers recover their livelihoods.