KIGALI Rwanda (Xinhua) —
International poultry farming experts and scientists met Wednesday in the
Rwandan capital to discuss ways to prevent and mitigate poultry diseases in
Africa.
Rwanda hosts
a continental conference and exhibition dedicated to poultry under the theme
“Poultry Africa Expo 2017” in Kigali.
At the
two-day gathering, which runs through Thursday, experts, investors, large and
smallholder farmers will share knowledge on poultry disease prevention
mechanisms and latest technologies.
Edir Silva,
former president of World Poultry Science Association (WPSA), said the outbreak
of deadly poultry diseases like the recent highly pathogenic avian influenza
virus has had devastating effects on poultry production in Africa.
“We need to
come up with strong preventive measures to (contain) poultry diseases and to
boost financial support for preparedness and response efforts in Africa and
globally,” he added.
According to
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, avian influenza
virus outbreaks have been confirmed so far this year in Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Avian
influenza, or bird flu, spreads among birds. In rare cases, it can affect
humans.
The Kigali
meeting will focus on creating closer business links between sub-Saharan
industry professionals and farmers and the international producers and suppliers
of the poultry and egg industry.
“Poultry
farming in Africa is one the biggest business opportunities for young people on
the continent,” Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, principal scientific officer, Livestock
Division Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, said. “We need to adopt
preventive measures to counter future threats to the sector.”
The meeting
has brought together nearly 1,500 delegates from Africa and beyond.
According to
the World Health Organization, avian influenza virus first infected humans in
1997 during a poultry outbreak in Hong Kong, China. Since its re-emergence in
2003 and 2004, the virus has spread from Asia to Europe and then Africa,
resulting in millions of poultry infections, several hundred human cases, and
many human deaths.
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EARLIER REPORT:
African poultry producers urged to boost
chicken, egg exports
KIGALI Rwanda (Xinhua) —
Poultry experts on Wednesday called on Africa’s poultry and egg industry to
increase exports and strive to become the world’s leading producers of poultry
products.
They made the
call at a panel session dubbed “Marketing and trade opportunities for Africa”
during the Poultry Africa Expo 2017 in Kigali, capital of Rwanda.
The expo,
from Oct. 4 to 5, aims at creating closer business ties between sub-Saharan
industry professionals and farmers and international producers and suppliers of
the poultry and egg industry.
“Africa is
ready to take its place on the world stage, if poultry farmers become vigilant
and focus on increasing production and reducing imports,” said Nan-Dirk Mulder,
senior analyst on animal protein at Rabobank of Netherlands.
“The poultry
industry should evolve from a continental basis to a more global platform,” he
said, adding that the sector can help Africa drive economic growth, create jobs,
and improve the quality of life for rural people.
According to
Rabobank, a Dutch multinational banking and financial services, Africa imports
more than 2 million metric tons of poultry products every year. In 2012 alone,
more than 5 million tons of poultry meat and two million tons of eggs were
consumed in Africa.
“Africa’s
chicken crisis is an expression of overall weaknesses in its agricultural
system,” said Kevin Lovell, former chief executive of South African Poultry
Association (SAPA).
“African
poultry and egg industry stands a chance in playing a significant role in global
exports of fresh and frozen chicken meat and eggs if they prioritize quality
coupled with quantity,” Lovell said.
South Africa
is the continent’s largest chicken producer, according to SAPA.
The two-day
event has brought together close to 1,500 delegates from Africa and beyond.