We will focus on national livestock transformation plan in Niger and Kaduna: FMARD

 The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has slated that, the ministry is focused on the implementation of the national livestock transformation plan in Niger and Kaduna states.

 

The Permanent Secretary, FMARD, Abdulkadir Mu’azu, made this known at a workshop of Food

and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations Technical Cooperation Project (TCP).

 

Mu’azu, who was represented by Winnie Lai-Solarin, Acting Director, Animal Husbandry Services in the ministry said that Nigeria spends $5 billion to import foods annually out of which $1.5 billion goes to the importation of milk and other dairy products.

 

He added that the huge bill is due to the long neglect of the livestock sector which has put a lot of burden on the import bill of the country.

 

According to him, about $5 billion worth of food is imported annually into the country, out of which milk and dairy products account between $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion.

 

Muazu said the challenges of the livestock sector include poor breed quality, farmer conflicts, and banditry.

 

Fred Kafeero, country representative of FAO said the workshop kick-starts the implementation of the TCP, adding that FAO will provide technical support for the project.

 

“FAO will continue to avail its assistance and technical expertise to the government of Nigeria to ensure food and nutrition security,” Kafeero said.

 

"Show more commitment to livestock sector" FAO Tasks Fed Govt

 

The Food Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has urged the federal government to show more commitment in the livestock sector to enhance food security as well helping the economic growth in the country.

 

 FAO Representative in Nigeria, Mr Fred Kafeero, made this known in Abuja at the Inception workshop of the TCP/NIR/3701- piloting the demonstration of the National Livestock Transformation Plan in Nigeria (NLTP).

 

He explained that it was worthy of note that Nigeria has demonstrated high commitment to develop the livestock sector through the National Livestock Transformation Plan.

 

He slated further that FAO has provided technical support for a Technical Cooperation project (TCP) to support scalable piloting of the plan through the promotion of best practices and adoption of simple technology.

 

Speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture, Dr Andrew Kwasari, explained that the NLTP has develops a plan for resettling and addressing the dislocated population in the conflict zones to enable them become part of the agricultural modernisation process.

 

Kwasari added that the programme is built to resolve serious issues around peace building and community cohesion through livestock transformation.

 

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr Abdulkari Mu’azu, in his keynote address said that the project was coming at a time the government was focusing on diversifying the economy with agriculture.

 

Mu’azu, who was represented by Mrs Winnie Lai-solarin, Acting Director Animal Husbandry Services FMARD, said the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on livestock industry had made the intervention expedient.

 

According to him, over 30 per cent of women and young adults depend largely on livestock for their income, livelihoods and sustenance. He, however, commended FAO for piloting the project in two states and also appealed for the project in more states for greater impact on the sector and its stakeholders.

 

Mr Hakeem Ibilade, Assistant Director Animal Husbandry, said that Nigeria currently has one of the lowest indices of animal productivity and value chain development in Africa in spite of its comparative advantages.

 

He said there are huge supply and demand gaps in livestock and livestock products with the population steadily increasing at an annual growth rate of 3.1 per cent.

 

 

“It has been extrapolated that Nigeria population will reach 219.15 million by 2025 (FAO, 2019). With this alarming geometric increase in population, the demand for livestock and livestock products will further widen, predisposing the country to increased importation to meet its animal protein needs.”