Alternative Animal Feed Critical to Food Security, Healthier Poultry Products — FUNAAB DVC

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Professor Olusegun Mark Obafemi Idowu, has advocated increased investment in alternative animal feed resources as a sustainable strategy to address Nigeria's food security challenges, reduce livestock production costs, and improve the nutritional quality of poultry products.

Professor Idowu made the call while delivering the University's 114th Inaugural Lecture, titled "Feed to Food: Biological Machines in the Hands of a Monogastric Nutritionist," on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

The Professor of Monogastric Animal Nutrition said decades of research had demonstrated that locally available, non-conventional feed resources could significantly lower the cost of livestock production while enhancing animal performance and producing healthier poultry products.

According to him, his research established the nutritional and economic viability of alternative feed ingredients, including Cassava Root Sievate, Shrimp Waste, and Unpeeled Cassava Root Meal, noting that these feed resources improve feed conversion efficiency while reducing reliance on conventional feed ingredients that compete directly with human food consumption.

Professor Idowu disclosed that one of the landmark achievements of his research was the successful reduction of cholesterol levels in poultry products through dietary manipulation. He explained that incorporating alternative feed resources into poultry diets significantly lowered cholesterol concentrations in eggs, blood plasma, and liver tissues, while dietary copper supplementation enhanced cholesterol excretion. He added that combining copper with ascorbic acid effectively reduced cholesterol levels without leaving excessive copper residues in chicken muscles.

The animal nutrition expert, who is also a member of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), described animal nutrition as a vital link between feed production and food security. He stressed that sustainable feeding strategies not only improve livestock productivity and animal welfare but also promote environmental sustainability and deliver healthier food products to consumers.

Professor Idowu called on government, researchers, and private-sector stakeholders to increase investment in the production and processing of alternative feed resources, intensify research into non-conventional feed ingredients and agro-industrial by-products, strengthen collaboration among researchers, farmers, feed manufacturers, and policymakers, and prioritise continuous professional development for animal nutritionists.

He expressed confidence that adopting innovative feeding strategies would enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of Nigeria's livestock industry while making nutritious animal protein more accessible to the country's growing population.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Professor Babatunde Kehinde, described the University's 114th Inaugural Lecture as another milestone in its commitment to advancing scholarship, innovation, and research-driven solutions to national development challenges.

He noted that the lecture was the fourth inaugural lecture delivered by the Department of Animal Nutrition and the 14th from the College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM).

Presenting the profile of the inaugural lecturer, Professor Kehinde described Professor Idowu as a distinguished scholar who obtained all his academic qualifications from FUNAAB, earning a Bachelor of Agriculture degree in Animal Nutrition in 1994, a Master's degree in Monogastric Animal Nutrition in 1999, and a Ph.D. in the same discipline in 2004.

The Vice-Chancellor said Professor Idowu joined the University's service as a Graduate Assistant in 1997 and rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Monogastric Animal Nutrition in 2014.

He also highlighted the scholar's extensive administrative experience, having served as Acting Head of the Department of Animal Nutrition, Chairman of the University Timetable and Examination Committee (TIMTEC), Director of the FUNAAB Distance Learning Centre, Director of the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), and currently as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Professor Kehinde further noted that Professor Idowu has authored more than 70 journal articles and over 20 conference papers and has attracted several national and international research grants from organisations, including TETFund, DelPHE, the EDULINK ACP-EU Cooperation Programme, and the West African Network of Organic Agriculture and Research and Training (WANOART).

Keywords: FUNAAB, Prof. Olusegun Mark Obafemi Idowu, 114th Inaugural Lecture, Alternative Animal Feed, Monogastric Animal Nutrition, Food Security, Livestock Production, Poultry Nutrition, Healthier Poultry Products, Sustainable Agriculture, Non-Conventional Feed Resources, Cassava Root Sievate, Shrimp Waste, Feed Innovation, Animal Welfare, Agricultural Research, COLANIM, Nigeria.