Livestock sector to achieve N74bn growth rates by 2035-FG

The Federal Government says the livestock sector has the potential to grow into a ₦74 billion economy by 2035 if fully harnessed, based on projections.

Special Assistant to the Minister of Livestock Development, Dr Sale Momale said this in an interview with our correspondent on Friday in Abuja.

Momale spoke on the sideline of a workshop on “Promotion of Peaceful Coexistence among Farming and Pastoral communities through Strengthening the Role of Media in the Development of the Livestock Industry in Nigeria.”

Our correspondent reports that the workshop was organised by Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme.

SPRING is a Foreign Common Wealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded intervention in collaboration with the ministry of livestock.

He said that to drive the implementation of the livestock ministry’s policies and strategies, there was a need for mass mobilisation of citizens, the creation of investment opportunities across the value chain, and the promotion of peace and social harmony.

Momale identified the role of the media as instrumental in carrying out the sector’s activities.

He said the workshop provided platform for exchange of ideas and acquaint participants of priority programmes and types of messaging to achieve the objectives of developing a robust viable livestock industry in the country.

According to him, the Nigeria livestock sector holds vast untapped potential, yet faces significant challenges including insecurity, herder-farmer conflicts and widespread misconception.

Momale, who said the ministry had put strategies in place to drive the process, listed the major focus as building capacities of various producers, and value chain actors across the major livestock species.

He says, “the species include sheep, goats, poultry, cattle and other livestock of economic importance.

“We are optimistic that organising production along this line will transform the sector, create job opportunities, sustainable livelihoods and improvement in the productivity of the sector within the forthcoming years, achieving N74 billion growth rate by 2035.

“This can be achieved through strategic framework and funding mechanisms that will incentivise broad-level youth participation that will be very attractive youth and young women to be able to invest and participate in the production.

“Livestock generally are affected by various categories of diseases like zoonotic, epidemic and transboundary and all these require varying levels of technical expertise, awareness and skills for their management.

“The ministry is creating multiple pathways and provide opportunities for interventions in the sector.

“The local producers will be trained and provided with skills and preventive techniques.”

Advocacy and Coalition Lead at SPRiNG programme, Damian Ihekoronye, urged the media to always reconsider and have conflict sensitivity in the reportage of issues in the farming, pastoral sector.

He further urged the ministry to deepen engagement with the media and avail them the needed information they could use to educate and enlighten the populace.

“The ministry is helping Nigeria to transit from the old ways of raising our livestock, managing our livestock to modern ways that could be economically beneficial to every Nigerian.

“It will also help to reduce the unnecessary conflict that are usually associated with the agricultural sector .

“We are optimistic that organising production along the livestock under the ministry will transform the sector and create job opportunities, and sustainable livelihood.”

Ihekoronye said SPRiNG partnership with the ministry was geared towards the development of the sector to contribute to the country’s economy.

“We are coming from the angle of promoting peace, social cohesion between the farming and pastoral group.

“SPRiNG is providing support to the government of Nigeria for a more stable and peaceful Nigeria, enabling citizens to benefit from reduced violence and increased resilience to climate change.