The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, has said that the Nigerian livestock industry forms 18 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the agricultural sector and worth over N33 trillion.

The Minister said this subsector should not be neglected instead, it should be given proper attention.

Nanono said this, on Thursday, in Abuja while inaugurating the 5th Council of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS). He regretted that the continued crisis between herdsmen and farmers in the country does not go well with the development of the livestock industry.

Noting that cattle form the most important part of livestock development of any country because of its size, value, and mobility, Nanono said the country needs to quickly transit from conflict era to becoming a net exporter of premium beef.

His words: “The nation needs to quickly transit from conflict era to becoming a net exporter of premium beef, emulating and surpassing the enviable achievements of countries like Uruguay which has metamorphosed over the recent years into a leading exporter of premium beef to the EU, US and the Chinese markets.

“It took Uruguay years of branding, food safety, and quality reforms as well as investment to get to that enviable market leadership. It will take nothing less.

“I think we have allowed ourselves to be delayed by emotions and sentiments in this very important industry. This is an industry that forms 18 per cent of the GDP of the agricultural sector and worth over N33 trillion, no county on earth will play with such industry.

The Minister, therefore, called on the Institute to play a lead role in proffering solution to the lingering conflicts between herders and farmers in Nigeria.

“Land resource is indeed scarce and not expandable, but science has proven that we can generate all we need with renewable agricultural strategies for both crop and livestock production from the available land resource without any form of conflict.

“I strongly call on the Institute to come up with scientific and practicable models that the government can adopt to finally lay to rest this front-burning problem.

“The Ministry has handed over the National Livestock Training Centre to the Institute. I am confident that you will put the facility to efficient use not only in training but also in the establishment of model units for livestock production that will impact the economy through improved livestock productivity,” the Minister said.

Earlier in his remarks, NIAS President, Professor Baba Yusuf Abubakar, said the Institute can play a major role in the recently launched implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).

He said the institute has a collection of the requisite technical expertise in all disciplines of animal husbandry to effectively facilitate the implementation of the plan. Nigeria may be close to flattening the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic as confirmed cases in the country keep dropping weekly, Tribune Online analysis has shown. This is even as the much-expected COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory last Tuesday…Nigeria’s livestock industry value over N33 trillion ― Minister

 

Source: Tribune Online