Nigeria has the ability to increase its contribution to the Global $1.72 trillion value of farmed animals, through pastoral farming, according to the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Federation of Agricultural Commodity Association of Nigeria (FACAN), Dr Victor Iyama.
The Nigerian livestock industry is a N30 trillion worth national asset with a growth projection of 1.2 per cent year-on-year by 2026.
Though Nigeria has the third largest herd of cattle in Africa, the country has a deficit of about 1 million tonnes of milk, with the production of only about 560,000 tonnes of the 1.56 million tonnes national need.
Speaking with The Nation, Dr Iyama noted that to enhance growth in the industry, there should be collaboration and synergy among stakeholders, across the country, adding that every region in the country has capacity to operate a profitable livestock industry.
He welcomed the idea to establish a ministry of livestock development, adding that its existence will enable the government to tackle special challenges and assistance that is needed by livestock producers.
Citing the example of Australia, Iyama noted that practice of pastoral farming was not confined to a particular section of the country, adding that the national spread of the industry has resulted in larger cattle herd and increased the volume of livestock processed to meet significant demand for red meat.
According to him, Australian livestock production is among the most efficient systems in the world, because it is properly positioned to respond to challenges evident in the industry.
Read Also: NCF gets training in impact communication
He indicated that the efforts of government and industry should be open to industry to investors from across the country and assist producers face the challenge of drought and volatile livestock prices.
Currently, livestock producers are feeling the ongoing impacts of drought conditions, which have compounded the pre-existing pressures of high interest rates and rising production costs.
During the just concluded the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)’s workshop on technical planning and implementation of African Pastoral Markets Development (APMD) platform held in Abuja, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi noted that the importance of an improved and efficient production process in pastoral farming cannot be overstated, where cattle farming accounts for a huge size of the agricultural contribution to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
For this reason, he noted that promoting productive, resilient, and healthy agropastoral systems has become a major concern for the Federal government.
He pointed out that the government was determined to pursue initiatives capable of opening opportunities for small-scale farmers to access technology and significantly improve the nation’s cattle stock.