Pig farmers in the Ikangba/Agoro axis of Odogbolu Local Government Area, Ogun State, have appealed to the federal and state governments for compensation, soft loans and other support following losses estimated at over five billion naira to African Swine Fever.
The farmers, under the aegis of the Ikangba/Agoro Pig Farmers’ Association, made the appeal on Wednesday during a protest organised in collaboration with the Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign in Ikangba Town.
The association claimed that more than 2,000 farmers had been affected by the outbreak, which reportedly caused the deaths of tens of thousands of pigs and forced over 99 per cent of pig farms in the area to shut down.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, the National Coordinator of the Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign, John Eko, described the outbreak as the third major devastation of pig farming investments in the area in a decade.
Eko said the losses extended beyond livestock to farm infrastructure, feed supplies, investments and livelihoods, while several farm workers had also lost their jobs.
He called for urgent government intervention to help affected farmers recover and restore their businesses.
Reacting, the Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, said the state government had reported the outbreak to the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and was awaiting feedback on the necessary intervention and support.
Owotomo described African Swine Fever as a highly contagious disease affecting pigs, noting that there was no approved vaccine for routine prevention.
He urged affected farmers and their associations to report suspected cases to veterinary authorities for sample collection, diagnostic confirmation and coordinated response.
The commissioner also advised farmers to enforce strict biosecurity measures, restrict pig movements, disinfect facilities and equipment, and avoid transporting pigs or pork products from suspected infected premises pending veterinary guidance.
He said the state government remained committed to containing the outbreak, protecting farmers’ investments and preventing further spread of the disease across Ogun State.
