Following rising concerns posed by the farmers-herders crisis in the country, Adetokumbo Kayode, President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on Thursday, said the chamber is interested in the development of a National Livestock Master Plan (NLMP) that is mainly private sector-driven.
He said the plan would address the major challenges facing the sector and transform it by guiding investments into major sub-sectors.
Kayode spoke during a roundtable on sustainable livestock value chain in Nigeria. He said the chamber was determined to support the Federal Government’s initiative to address the issues surrounding the livestock development in Nigeria
He noted further that the roundtable was informed by the fact that demand for livestock products in sub-Saharan Africa is increasing, rapidly fuelled by growing population, urbanisation and improved incomes leading to shifts in diets towards high-value commodities such as meat and milk.
“It is in realisation of our rapidly growing population and heavy dependence on import to support our local consumption that spurred our efforts to take the frog-leap develop domestic livestock capacity using the instrumentality of the Organised Private Sector,” he said.
Recall, the sub-sector is exposed to large number of risk factors such as climate change, droughts, floods, pest and diseases, conflict and insecurity; limited social safety nets for operators; scarce livelihood diversification options, and low-capacity operators. But with this gathering we are sure, in no distant time, we will put this issue behind us.”
Speaking further on expectations from the federal government’s master plan, he said: “The master plan is to be vision-driven, evidence-based road map with investment plans that seek to improve animal productivity and production, as well as increase the value addition of key livestock value chains.”
“The ultimate goal of NLMP is to establish a livestock sector, which shall be commercially run, modern and sustainable, using improved and highly productive livestock to ensure food security, improved income for households and the nation while conserving the environment.”
“As you know, livestock supports the livelihood of about 1.3 billion people in developing countries and contributes up to 30 per cent of the agriculture Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, mainly through the provision of meat, milk, wool, and hides and skins.
Nigeria is currently experiencing hiccups and complications in its livestock sector. The violence occasioned by herders-farmers clashes has overshadowed the more fundamental crisis plaguing the largely undeveloped sector.
