National Auditor of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Dr Abdulkadir Usman Junaidu, has called for a subsidy on feeds, vaccines and drugs for the sub-sector to boost poultry production in the country.

All Africa reports that Dr Junaidu told newsmen in Sokoto on 13 December that the nation's poultry farmers also require more technical support and soft loans from government.

According to Dr Junaidu – who is also the Director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto – "With such a subsidy and other incentives, this vital agricultural sub-sector will certainly be improved."

He added: "Even the menace of area boyism and the ever rising unemployment rate in the country will be a thing of the past."

He said the youth of the country should be more empowered to engage in farming.

The PAN top official hailed the French Embassy in Nigeria for recently sponsoring a stakeholders' meeting for the members of association in the state. Dr Junaidu said that the embassy plans to sponsor another training programme for poultry farmers in the north-west soon on how to improve production.