CurrentReport Blog The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, has urged stakeholders in Nigeria’s livestock industry to work together to resolve the persistent farmer-herder conflicts and other challenges affecting the sector. Speaking at the opening of a two-day Focus Group Discussion on Sustainable Livestock Development in Abuja on Monday, Maiha emphasized the importance of collaboration to drive meaningful reforms and ensure the sector’s growth.
Livestock Sector Challenges and Reforms
The Minister noted that the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development by President Bola Tinubu underscores the government’s commitment to addressing pressing issues in the livestock industry. He highlighted the need for practical solutions to reduce conflicts between farmers and herders, while ensuring a steady supply of affordable livestock products such as beef, dairy, poultry, and pork.
“Nigerians are looking for change: in the areas of reduction of farmer-herder conflict, increased supply of and affordable beef, dairy products, poultry, chevon, mutton, pork, and other livestock products,” Maiha stated.
Key Themes of the Discussion
The two-day event brings together experts and stakeholders from academia, the private sector, donors, and government ministries to discuss critical themes, including:
- Animal Health and Breeding
- Livestock Entrepreneurship and Value Chains
- Feed and Fodder Development
- Grazing Reserves and Cross-Cutting Issues
These discussions aim to generate actionable recommendations that the Ministry will implement to transform the livestock industry.
Commitment to Collaboration and Transparency
Maiha assured participants of the Ministry’s openness to ideas and commitment to transparent, result-driven actions. He stressed that the Ministry would engage all actors across the upstream, midstream, and downstream levels of the livestock value chain, ensuring their involvement in policy formulation and execution.
“With the Ministry and the available human resources in Nigeria, the days of lamentation should be over,” he said, urging stakeholders to focus on delivering tangible results for the benefit of the industry and the nation.
Livestock Development for National Growth
Maiha reiterated that the government is ready to act swiftly on the recommendations generated during the focus group discussion. He urged participants to engage constructively and propose solutions to improve animal health, enhance grazing reserves, and boost entrepreneurship within the livestock sector.
As Nigeria’s livestock industry faces mounting challenges, this focus group discussion provides a platform for stakeholders to develop strategies that can resolve conflicts, improve productivity, and ensure food security. The Ministry’s commitment to transparency and collaboration is expected to drive the much-needed transformation in the sector.
