Stakeholders have called for the establishment of a comprehensive framework to address conflicts between farmers and herders as Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Livestock Development officially begins operations.
This call comes following a recent workshop on livestock reforms, where a communique was issued by Prof. Attahiru Jega, Co-Chair of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee.
“The establishment of a Department of Livestock Extension and Innovation is crucial,” the communique states, emphasising the need for specialised support in livestock management.
It also recommends enhancing the National Animal Identification and Traceability System to improve security and market standards.
The document further highlights the importance of creating policies to tackle the impacts of climate change on livestock production. “We need a targeted policy framework to integrate climate-smart practices,” it notes.
Challenges in livestock production, such as insufficient supplies of grains, forage, and animal feeds, have been linked to rampant smuggling across borders.
To combat this, the communique advocates for stricter measures against smuggling and regulated importation to stabilise supplies.
“There is also a need for a robust infrastructure for livestock data and genetic resource conservation,” the report adds, pointing to the importance of gene banks and stock improvement for a sustainable sector.
it emphasises the potential for waste generated in the livestock value chain to be repurposed into valuable resources, such as converting dung into manure and biogas.
