Extreme Heat Forces Nigerian Poultry Farmers to Dip Birds in Water as Costs Rise

News in Brief:

— Nigerian farmers battle El Niño-driven intense heat that threatens their livelihoods with costly cooling measures. 

— As production expenses and workloads rise, farmers warn that prolonged extreme temperatures could affect output and food affordability. 

Nigerian farmers report growing challenges from intense heat as the country enters the dry season, with concerns over crop stress, livestock deaths and rising production costs. 

The situation comes as El Niño develops globally, with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasting that it could remain strong to very strong into early 2027. Although some social media users have described the event as a “Super El Niño”, the term is informal, and its effects on Nigeria will depend on local weather conditions.

Heat Stress Threatens Poultry Productivity and Farmers’ Livelihoods 

Afeez Olumide, a vegetable farmer and founder of Voice of Farmers, said the heat was already affecting farmers, particularly those relying on rainfall and those raising livestock. 

“Farmers whose crops depend on rain are suffering,” he said, adding that poultry farmers were struggling to keep birds cool. 

Some, he said, were spraying or dipping their birds in water to reduce heat stress. Also, increased water consumption by livestock is forcing farmers to spend more on pumping water and fuel, further raising production costs.

Gift Ogunleye, a poultry farmer in Ilorin, Kwara State, who rears broiler birds, said the increased heat is affecting both the birds and her health, taking a physical, financial and emotional toll. 

For the birds, she explains that the increased heat raises their body temperature, causing heat stress, respiratory issues, and even death. 

To mitigate the effects, Ogunleye said she had invested in solar-powered fans and periodically dipped the birds in cold water to help lower their body temperatures. She has also had to intensify monitoring, administer antibiotics when necessary and clean the birds’ cages more frequently, including replacing the sawdust bedding.

However, Ogunleye lamented that managing these additional demands as a sole farmer with limited support had placed a significant burden on her, both physically and financially.

“Imagine having to dip several birds in water one by one, or the stress of constantly cleaning the cages and replacing the sawdust bedding while monitoring the birds every few minutes,” she said.

Heat Mitigation as Production Costs Rise

Adepegba Saheed, an egg-producing poultry farmer and owner of Mushira Farm, says the heat is already affecting productivity. Heat stress is reducing egg production and increasing the cost of managing the business and sustaining the stock.

He also highlighted the physical toll of coping with rising temperatures, explaining that more frequent monitoring, constant refilling of drinkers and adjustments to new feeding routines have increased his workload and stress. 

Lawon Ajoke, a snail farmer and owner of Joks Snail Farm in Ibadan, also revealed in a Facebook video that she now regularly mists her farm due to the heat. She explained that misting snail farms 3-4 times daily helps manage the temperature and provide the humid environment snails need to survive the heat stress.

Ayomide Adefuwa, farmer and CEO of Malum Agro, said the situation could become worse if the heat persists. He warned of possible wildfires between December 2026 and February 2027. Ayomide grows cassava, which is heat tolerant, but he said prolonged stress could still affect tuber size and harvest yields. 

“The heat is not new, but this year’s own is different,” he said, urging public awareness.

While El Niño does not cause extreme heat or crop losses across every part of Nigeria, these farmers’ experiences highlight the need to prepare for unpredictable weather. 

Measures such as conserving soil moisture, improving access to irrigation, selecting suitable crop varieties and providing livestock with adequate water, shade and ventilation could help reduce losses. 

These mitigation steps add to rising production costs, which farmers already lament threaten their earnings. Stuck between passing the cost to consumers and absorbing it, primary food producers in Nigeria are in a quandary.