09/07/2026
Prof. Idowu calls for investment in production of alternative feed
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, Prof. Olusegun Idowu has called for more investment in the production and processing of alternative feed resources in order to make them more accessible and affordable to farmers.
Delivering the 114th Inaugural Lecture of the University, titled: 'Feed to Food: Biological Machines in the Hands of a Monogastric Nutritionist', at the Prof. Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building of the institution, Prof. Idowu reiterated that the animal feed industry can be moved towards more efficient, sustainable, and ethically-responsible practices in monogastric nutrition, which would ultimately contribute to global food security and animal welfare.
Idowu, who is a Professor of Monogastric Animal Nutrition, from the Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM) of FUNAAB, noted that the feed materials, not only improve the feed conversion efficiency, but also reduce dependence on conventional feed ingredients that compete directly with human food consumption.
He emphasised that his research studies were aimed at enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of animal nutrition, particularly focusing on the potential of non-conventional feed resources, adding that the findings underscore the critical importance of optimising feed ingredients, such as cassava and shrimps waste to improve feed conversation ratio and overall production efficiency in monogastric animals.
The don called for collaboration among researchers, farmers, feed manufacturers, and policy makers to improve feed production and animal welfare, stressing that continuous education and professional training should be provided for animal nutritionists to keep them abreast of emerging research, technologies, and ethical practices.