Ogun pig farmers lose N5bn to swine fever

Pig farmers in Ogun State have reported losses exceeding N5bn following an outbreak of African swine fever that has killed tens of thousands of pigs and forced more than 99 per cent of farms in the affected area to shut down.

The farmers, operating in the Ikangba/Agoro axis of Odogbolu Local Government Area, made the disclosure on Wednesday during a protest organised with the Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign in Ikangba Town.

They appealed to the Federal and Ogun State governments for compensation, soft loans, grants and other assistance to help them recover from the losses and restart production.

The farmers, under the Ikangba/Agoro Pig Farmers’ Association, carried placards appealing to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene, warning that the outbreak had destroyed their livelihoods and left many struggling financially.

Speaking on their behalf, the National Coordinator of the Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign, John Eko, said more than 2,000 farmers had been affected, with the outbreak claiming tens of thousands of pigs and threatening the local pig production industry.

Eko said the losses went beyond livestock to include farm infrastructure, animal feeds, investments and jobs, leaving many farmers unable to sustain their businesses.

“For several weeks running, we pig farmers within the Ikangba/Agoro axis in Odogbolu Local Government, numbering over 2,000, have lost tens of thousands of pigs worth over N5bn, and the losses are still counting,” he said.

He described African swine fever as a highly contagious but non-zoonotic disease, meaning it does not spread from pigs to humans.

Eko said the latest outbreak was the third time in a decade that the disease had devastated investments in the area, accusing the federal and state governments of failing to provide adequate support to affected farmers.

He lamented that the farmers had been left to absorb repeated losses without meaningful intervention, warning that the industry could collapse without urgent assistance.

The campaign coordinator called for compensation, agricultural production subsidies, low-interest loans, quality breeding stock, animal feeds and disease-control materials.

He also urged the government to provide relief to farmers who had lost their means of livelihood and were struggling to meet their families’ basic needs.

Eko called on the Federal Government to invest in agricultural research and development, particularly efforts to develop vaccines and drugs against African swine fever.

He cited the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, Plateau State, as one of the institutions whose scientists could contribute to research aimed at controlling the disease.

“The fact that this has not happened, particularly in a country like Nigeria, given her huge human and material resource endowments, only shows how our successive governments have not taken agriculture, food security, and the plight of farmers seriously,” he said.

He also proposed a high-powered technical committee comprising scientists, farmers and other relevant professionals to explore ways of developing effective vaccines and treatments.

Farmers recount losses

One of the affected farmers, Folorunsho Ayodele, said he lost pigs worth more than N18m, while a neighbouring farmer lost over N30m.

Ayodele said the outbreak began about two months ago and had devastated farms across the area.

“The outbreak began about two months ago and over 2,000 farmers have lost their animals to this cruel disease. I personally lost over N18m; my pen houses are now empty. My own neighbour lost over N30m,” he said.

He added that some of the dead pigs weighed more than 300 kilogrammes, with a kilogramme selling for at least N2,500.

Ayodele said many farmers had borrowed money to finance their businesses, while some had reportedly been hospitalised following the shock of their losses.

He appealed to Tinubu and Abiodun to provide assistance that would enable farmers to return to production and continue contributing to the economy.

Another farmer, Adeola Oyeleye, said she lost more than N10m in investments, adding that some farmers in the area had lost over N100m.

She called for compensation, soft loans, grants and other support to help farmers rebuild their businesses.

Oyeleye said the outbreak had left their pens empty and caused significant emotional distress, urging the government to intensify efforts to develop a vaccine against the disease.

The farmers warned that without urgent intervention, repeated outbreaks and mounting losses could further undermine pig production and the livelihoods dependent on the industry.