FAO, FG partner to develop livestock

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Nigerian Government (FG) has launched the report on African Sustainable Livestock (ASL) 2050 towards the development of the sector to ensure food security and wealth creation.

Speaking at the launch, the FAO country representative, Mr. Sufyan Koroma said the report aims at developing the potentials and opportunity of the livestock sector in Nigeria saying ‘’ASL 2050 initiative is funded by the United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID) in six African countries: Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda’’

Koroma said that ASL 2050 has generated evidence on Nigerian livestock future that would ensure the livelihoods of the stakeholders at the value chains of the animals’ productivity with a galvanised sustainable policy to face challenges in the subsector in the next three decades.

The FAO country director advised stakeholders to adopt one health approach mechanism to tackling zoonotic diseases in the sub sector saying “evidence indicates that population growth, urbanization, industrialization, and rising incomes have already triggered growing demand for animal source foods in the country. This is causing major changed in livestock systems and value chain”.

The Permanent Secretary, FMARD Dr. Mohammad Umar also disclosed that  total production of milk, meat, and eggs in Nigeria amounts to 0.5 billion litres,1.4 and 0.6 million tonnes per year respectively adding that the livestock sector contributes 1.7 per cent to the National Gross Domestic Profit (GDP).

He stressed the need for preventive measures to fight risks in the future towards achieving food security of United Nation (UN) agenda for 2030.