Livestock transformation key to Nigeria’s food security – Oshatimehin

Harriet Afolabi-Oshatimehin, Kwara State Commissioner for Agriculture has said that the successful implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Programme (NLTP) of the Federal Government is crucial for the country’s quest of attaining self-sufficiency in food production.

Declaring open a three-day training workshop on the NLTP ahead of its implementation in the state, Oshatimehin explained that Kwara was participating in the programme to empower its citizens, guarantee food security and boost productivity.

“In achieving the plan, Kwara has assembled a robust and highly experienced project management team that would be supervised by a steering committee chaired by the secretary to the state government,” she said.

“This shows the high premium the state places on the NLTP,” she added.

The commissioner said a training exercise will be carried out to train enumerators on how to effectively aggregate data needed for the NLTP.

Oshatimehin stated that the country spent $1.3billion annually on milk importation and another $8billion on beef (both live and processed) imports, saying that the state is strategically positioned to take advantage of the opportunities in the livestock value chain.

“Our cost of production of a Kilogramme of beef estimated at $6 per Kg is one of the world’s highest, compared to $4 per Kg in the Netherlands and $2.5 per Kg in India.”

“In Israel, some cows give up to 40 Litres of milk per day; Europe and the Americas, it averages 26-30 Litres per day. Our cows produce just 1-1.5Litres per day,” she further said.

The commissioner explained that the government had allocated resources to support the quick rollout of the programme, urging the enumerators to put in their best, while assuring them that their hard work and dedication would be rewarded.

She says about 3000 N-Power Agro Corps were being trained to take the necessary data that would help in implementing the NLTP.

Also speaking, Sheriff Salau, project management team lead of Kwara NLTP, posits that the plan was designed by the Federal Government to develop the various value chains in the livestock sector as well as address herders-farmers clashes across the country.

“The government is trying to come up with a win-win for farmers and herders to live in harmony. Knowing the paucity of funds at the state level, the government has decided to support participating states in facilitating the development along the value chains,” said Salau.