NAFDAC tasks farmers on best practices to protect humans, animals  

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised agro farmers, operators and other stakeholders to embrace best practices to protect humans and animals.

While giving the advice at the Nigeria Poultry show 2023, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, NAFDAC enlightened the farmers on the use of appropriate and safe feeds, as part of strategy to safeguard human and animal health.

NAFDAC’s Director, Veterinary Medicine and Allied and Product (VMAP), Dr Rametu Momodu, said the NAFDAC sensitisation is necessary as part of the agency’s mandate to bridge the gap between the regulator and the regulated.

According to her, the programme brought together farmers and operators of poultry businesses to learn how to adapt innovation and regulatory measures to advance their processes.

She said the sensitisation was used to train agro farmers, providing them with information and the opportunity to cooperate with NAFDAC.

“And all of these are to enlighten, educate, and to tell them what we do and the reason we do them. We know we run a business but it is good business to do things properly.

“If they use animal feed products that are not certified by NAFDAC; we are not sure of the efficacy, quality, and effectiveness.

“As you have seen from one of the presentations, if they use the products properly they are going to get better birds, which are birds that are healthier and good for business, it is good for the farmers, and consumers buying the birds to eat.”

Momodu stated that the mission of the VMAP Directorate is to protect human and animal health by ensuring that only safe and effective veterinary medicine and allied products are available for use in Nigeria.

According to her, “the regulation of animal feedstuff is done to assure the production of safe feed.”

Momodu said VMAP, under her leadership, would deliver on the directorate mandate through an open-door policy, science-based approach to issues, collaboration, and cooperation with all stakeholders.

During the show, one of the major importers and distributors of major raw materials for the feed and food industry, Agro Merits Limited lamented that, as a country, Nigeria cannot produce locally and feed its people.

The Managing Director, Sampson Adetunji Odipe, said the Nigeria government is not engaging the right people on the field.