The Kaduna State Government has called on poultry farmers and live bird marketers to strengthen biosecurity practices, promptly report suspected cases of Avian Influenza to prevent outbreaks and protect public health.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Abubakar Abba, made the call on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ engagement on Avian Influenza mitigation in Kaduna.

He said strict adherence to biosecurity measures across poultry farms, live bird markets remained the most effective way to curb the spread of the disease.

“Farmers must maintain proper hygiene, control access to poultry houses, disinfect equipment regularly and prevent contact between domestic and wild birds,” he said.

According to him, early detection and timely reporting of unusual poultry deaths, signs of illness would enable rapid response and effective containment.

Mr Abba assured stakeholders that all reports would be treated professionally and in the collective interest of the poultry sector.

He added that the ministry, through its veterinary services and in collaboration with partners such as OLAM, would continue to strengthen disease surveillance, veterinary extension and response capacity.

The permanent secretary said that Avian Influenza was not only an animal health challenge but also a public health concern, adding that the state’s mitigation efforts were guided by the One Health approach.

He urged the stakeholders, including the Poultry Association of Nigeria, to actively participate in discussions and propose practical, field-based solutions to reduce the risk of outbreaks.

Also speaking, Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Zakariya Pakachi, described the meeting as timely as the state entered the influenza season.

He said the Kaduna State Government had demonstrated strong commitment to agriculture through increased budgetary allocations, noting steady growth from 2023 to 2025 and further improvement in the 2026 appropriation.

Mr Pakachi expressed confidence that sustained collaboration would strengthen the resilience of the poultry industry and safeguard livelihoods and food security in the state.

The ministry inaugurated the avian influenza rapid response team to mitigate outbreak of Avian influenza 

The team would commence decontamination of poultry farms and lovebirds markets for three months across the state.

(NAN)