Livestock ministry identifies key partnership areas with AFDB

By Stella Odueme 

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has identified feed and fodder, health, disease management, and breed improvement as key areas where the ministry seeks collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB).  

The Minister made this known in Abuja, while receiving a delegation from AfDB led by Dr. Martin Fregene. 

A statement by the

Director, Information and Public Relations Department, Ben. Bem Goong said the meeting discussed the ministry’s five-year strategic plan and potential areas of partnership.  

Maiha stressed that transforming the livestock sector into a globally competitive industry requires ensuring adequate feed and fodder availability. 

He described feed and fodder as the backbone of livestock production and urged farmers to invest in pasture cultivation to enhance animal nutrition.  

Addressing animal health challenges, the Minister highlighted the urgent need for access to vaccines to reduce high mortality rates and improve livestock productivity.

He also stressed the importance of optimising the potentials of indigenous breeds, noting that poor nutrition often hampers their optimal performance.  

“We tend to overlook our indigenous breeds. The issue is not their potential but the lack of proper feeding and care,” he stated.  

The Minister explained that the five-year strategic plan designed by the ministry, will ensure job creation, food security, increased income, and enhanced revenue generation through taxation, thereby leading to an increase in the sector’s contribution the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Speaking on challenges within the livestock sector, Maiha assured stakeholders that both small and large-scale livestock business owners would be supported in alignment with the Ministry’s policies, adding that Nigeria’s domestic market remains a priority before expanding into global markets.  

In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, stressed the ministry’s commitment to transforming the sector into a globally competitive one.  

“We are here to share with you our five-year strategic plan, developed after the recent retreat,” she said, commended the AfDB delegation for their commitment and assured them of the Ministry’s full cooperation in advancing Nigeria’s livestock industry.  

Earlier, the head of the AfDB delegation, Dr. Martin Fregene, acknowledged the Minister’s deep understanding of the sector’s priorities.  

“You have a good team; the key challenge is securing the resources to deliver. Time is of the essence, and you have two and a half years to make significant impact,” he noted.