This post is a late version of our Rural Development Programme of the World Egg Day.
On the 16th October, 2017, residents of Iwo road community, Egbeda Local Government trooped out massively to witness the world egg day celebration organized by the Poultry Association of Nigerian (PAN), Ife/Iwo Road Zone in collaboration with an outstanding stakeholder – Livestock Industry Foundation for Africa (LIFA). The people were fascinated by the event as many of them took to street on arrival of the organizers. They didn’t just enjoy the show but also gathered information pertaining to the unique poultry produce. Many of them enjoyed a taste of the egg as eggs were shared to commemorate the celebration.
The celebration took on a grand style of awareness which highlighted the benefits of eggs to the health of people. The programme although organized worldwide in grand style ranging from awareness, egg donations, egg recipe formulation to sensitization and lots more. Some countries celebrated the day by “egging” themselves as some politicians were egged to celebrate the occasion.
Meanwhile, PAN Ife/Iwo Road Zone, Egbeda Local Government felt the need to celebrate the event with the rural community in which LIFA was obliged to participate as her objectives are directed towards rural development and transformation amongst rural farmers.
Dr. Stephen Adejoro felt the need of the organization (LIFA) to join in the awareness programme due to the impact of rural farmers in the transformation agenda of animal food security. He believes that celebrating the world egg day with rural farmers will help motivate them towards an increased egg production for the teeming population in need of animal food protein. Rural farmers should be enlightened on different challenges of the poultry industry especially problems that leads to decrease egg production and or low income usually surfacing as challenges of mycotoxins, vaccination failure, livestock disasters, climate changes and safe water challenges in the poultry food chain production.
Many farms have closed down due to these challenges as massive debts have been incurred as a result of Avian Influenza disease outbreak, climate change and Mycotoxin problems resulting in high chick and breeder mortality. LIFA takes interest and advocate for tools to mitigate these challenges. The organization educate farmers, provide information necessary for increased production and investigate into major causes of vaccination failure. Project restart and policy formulation is not left out in the organizations initiatives.
On Dr. Stephen Adejoro’s arrival at the event’s take-off point, he took quality time to address these problems and seek for full participation of rural farmers to collaborate with LIFA in order to solve the emerging and re-emerging problems.
The programme recorded a massive attendance of rural farmers and was accompanied by members of the Federal Road Safety for optimum traffic orderliness. The rural community likewise turned out for the event as free egg encouraged their participation. The community also had a fascinating and fun filled time as the Association featured a social dance group to entertain them.
Benefits of egg and its nutritional importance were highlighted in fliers and distributed to passersby. People were equally allowed to share their view on the knowledge of egg and how the Federal Government can assist to make egg available on every family’s table.
One passerby interviewed said “The benefits of eggs cannot be under estimated but prices must be fair and affordable for the rural dwellers and common man” He further said that in order to achieve this, Government and farmers have roles to play.
The awareness program was a memorable one as many passerby smiled away with free gift of egg and wished the program is celebrated frequently as this was the first of its kind celebrated since the coming to office of the new administration of President Mohammadu Buhari.
This year’s world egg day was an eye opener that revealed the level of animal food insecurity in the country. LIFA will collaborate with interested private organization, Government, and individuals to ensure animal food security in the country. Together we can develop agriculture for optimum animal food security.
