Livestock farmers have been called upon to take advantage of the opportunities abound in Artificial Intelligence and other latest technologies available for improved animal production.
Making the call was Professor Saidu Oseni, of the Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, while featuring as a panelist during the opening day 49th annual conference of the Nigerian Society for Animal Production (NSAP), with the theme:’Improving Animal Agriculture For Sustainable Economic Development In Nigeria’ holding between Monday March 24 to Wednesday 27, 2024, at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
Professor Oseni, while speaking on the topic: ’Digital Technologies for Enhanced Animal Production’ said: ”Through these technologies livestock farmers will have access to quality information, have access to anything that can boost revenue by reducing mortality, increasing survivability. They should be on top of the game and they can only be on top of the game if they have access to technologies.
“This is not a day job but continuous process of training and retraining, but by all means, they must have access to high quality information based on these digital technologies.”
The keynote speaker, Dr Bayo Odunowo, in his paper titled:’Improving Animal Agriculture For Sustainable Economic Development in Nigeria’ said the development of animal agriculture is fundamental to support the transformation of Nigeria in an economic and socially sustainable way, environmentally and from a public health perspective.
He posited that: ”As we face unprecedented economic challenges, no options can be wasted. It is my hope that solutions will emanate from this conference that will be readily available to make animal agriculture more efficient, sustainable and healthy as well as more equitable nationwide.
“Now is the time to harness the many opportunities offered by animal agriculture that will not only bring livestock to the forefront of developing solutions to the nation’s economic challenges but will bring animal agriculture to the forefront of work to achieve sustainable economic development to the benefit of all Nigerians.”
Chairman on the occasion, the chairman, West-Midland Communications, Oba Muritala Adebayo Akande, while declaring the conference open, said: ”I am delighted to see here the beauty and diversity of our great country represented here with the presence of eminent scholars from far and wide.
“The theme of this conference is so apt. At the heart of this is the imperative of building capacity for self sufficiency and export prospects in the area of animal production. As a believer in the enormous opportunity that education brings, my doors will remain perpetually open to provide my modest as the need arises.”
In his address, the President, Nigerian Society for Animal Production (NSAP), Professor Francis Ojariafe Abeke, noted that the outcome of the conference will no doubt contribute to improving animal agriculture for sustainable economic development in Nigeria and bring transformation to the lives of Nigerians.
“The journey towards improving animal agriculture for sustainable economic development in Nigeria is an arduous but achievable task.
It requires committed contribution from all of us. As technocrats and entrepreneurs, our intellectual and material resources become quite crucial here, as no real development can take place in a country without harnessing the research efforts of stakeholders.”
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