Agric minister laments over unutilised livestock sector

The Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Sabo Nanono has decried under utilisation of potential in the livestock sector of Nigerian economy saying it was the reason to our limited protein content in our dietary.

Alhaji Nanono said this in a press statement made available after the livestock flag off in Kano yesterday.

                         

Nanono in the statement described our decayed infrastructure to unenhanced livestock productivity as very appalling, saying that “we have not achieved much to ensure adequate supply of animal protein, means of livelihood and increased income. Some of the  key challenges like low level of investment, poor animal health services, poor access to market, poor fodder supply and livestock Management practices have continued to prevent the sector  from reaching its full potential”

The statement attributed the minister as saying that the ministry is determined to improve on indigenous breeds of animal production in cattle towards increased milk and meat productivity, using the mechanism of National Livestock Breed Improvement Programme (NALBIP), just as he explained that artificial insemination services would be deplored through training and provision of essential tools to stakeholders.

He also expressed in the statement optimism that the programme “will improve the livelihood of the pastoral communities and other livestock farmers and support the ministry in addressing the challenges in the livestock value chain particularly, the incessant Herder/ Crop Farmers conflict”. 

The  Minister noted that “ inadequate investments due largely to under- funding from public and private sectors, absence of enabling government policies, suboptimal functioning institutional settings and linkages and regulatory gaps have led to our inability to achieve sustainable transformation in the livestock value chains. This administration is poised to systematically address these challenges”. 

In his goodwill message, the Executive Governor of Kano State, represented by the Kano State Commissioner of Local Government Affairs, Hon Murtala Sule Garo, expressed appreciation on the choice of Kano State for the pilot scheme of the programme, stating that the state has the comparative advantage in terms of its livestock population and vast arable land. 

While noting that the breed improvement programme for the sector will upgrade the existing indigenous breeds and increase productivity, the governor assured the minister that the state government would continue to support the federal government in all its intervention efforts to the state. 

In her address according to the statement, the Director, Animal husbandry Department in the Ministry, Mrs Winnie Lai- Solarin said that NALBIP is meant to transform economic value face of livestock sector to a more revenue generating sector to the economy saying that “Animal Agriculture plays a significant role in the country's agro-economy and contributes to the qualitative nutrition of the citizenry, job creation and food security status of our nation. It also lends significantly to the socio-economic livelihoods of the populace particularly livestock value chain actors”.

                         

The statement has Mrs Solarin saying that “Nigeria's population is growing at a faster rate than the increase in animals and animal products, this is critical for a country whose population is expected to reach about 402 million by the year 2050.  Imperatively only improved breeds which are adequately cared for to reach optimal production levels can alleviate poverty, ensure food security and meet the protein requirements of a growing population such as ours”.

She therefore enjoined all stakeholders, particularly the private sector to participate actively in the implementation of the NALBIP program to ensure efficiency, sustainability, job creation, improved breed, increased productivity and income of smallholder livestock farmers.