On Thursday, Prof. Attahiru Jega, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), presented a 152-page report to President Bola Tinubu, outlining reform strategies for Nigeria’s livestock sector. The report proposes a 10-year transformation plan aimed at maximizing the sector's potential.
Jega, appointed as Co-Chairman of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Committee in July 2024, emphasized the importance of both livestock grazing and ranching, recommending that both methods continue alongside each other while promoting the long-term goal of developing a more intensive livestock sector. The report also includes operational guidelines for the newly created Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
The report addresses ways to peacefully resolve the ongoing farmers-herders conflict, stressing the sector's immense potential beyond the crisis. Jega highlighted the economic opportunities in livestock, encouraging Nigerians to look beyond the disputes. Winnie Lai-Solarin, a director at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, noted that the poultry sector alone holds an estimated N1.7 trillion in investment potential.
President Tinubu, during the committee's inauguration, underscored the need for livestock reforms, stating that they could unlock new benefits for all stakeholders, including farmers, herders, and processors. He also urged committee members to steer clear of partisan politics, focusing instead on national development. Tinubu had earlier announced the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development to boost the sector and reduce conflicts.
He expressed optimism that the reforms, supported by research and stakeholder cooperation, would modernize traditional livestock farming, creating new growth opportunities while curbing violence in the sector.
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