The Nigerian Government is taking concrete steps towards livestock reforms by modernising livestock farming in order to secure the country’s food future.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Bola Tinubu on Livestock Development, Idris Ajimobi, disclosed this during an interactive session with newsmen in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Ajimobi disclosed that his office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Livestock Development, has commenced the revival of grazing reserves and ranches across the country as part of efforts to curb farmer-herder clashes and shift herders to modern ranching.
READ ALSO: Nigeria to Prioritise Technology, Food Security in Development Agenda
Grazing reserves
He said work has already started on the Kawu Grazing Reserve in Abuja as a nationwide audit of existing ranches and the 417 grazing reserves is ongoing to determine those that can be upgraded before new ones are established.
He noted that the focus is not just to provide the necessary infrastructure, but to also teach farmers modern ways of farming.
“Our intention is to teach, revive the reserves we have, modernise them, and use them as a platform to begin the ranching system that the government wants. It has been successful in other countries, and it can be successful here,” the SSA explained.
Ajimobi admitted that although the grazing reserves are more challenging than they would have liked due to the size, with Kawu alone spanning over 10,000 hectares, partnerships with the private sector and the international community are being secured to drive the revival.
“We have 417 grazing reserves, and they are more challenging than we would have thought. They are very big, but we are working on reviving them. We have reached out to partners in the private sector and in the international community that are looking to come on board and partner with us for the revival of these projects,” he stated.
Ajimobi revealed that the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to make Nigeria food secure informed the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development.
He said the President has set a target that “every child must be able to get a sachet of milk and one egg every day” as a minimum nutritional benchmark, and his team is working towards that goal.
Addressing concerns over insecurity in forests and farmlands, the SSA maintained that tackling kidnapping and banditry requires collective action, asserting that criminals do not thrive without some level of community complicity, often linked to poverty.
He said modernising livestock production and engaging community members as part of ranger forces will complement the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces, whom he described as “the bravest of the brave”, noting that both government and communities have a role to play in addressing the challenges.
On the flow of investment into the livestock sector, Ajimobi listed agreements secured by President Tinubu including a $1.5 billion deal with JBS, the world’s largest beef processor; an agreement with France on livestock and agriculture; and a £100 million dairy production and processing pact signed during the President’s recent trip to the United Kingdom.
He revealed that Saudi Arabia has also expressed interest in Nigerian bovine red meat, with talks ongoing to commence exports.
