Business

Call for Action: Stakeholders Urge Ministry of Livestock Development to Tackle Food Insecurity

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 12th, 2024.

Call for Action: Stakeholders Urge Ministry of Livestock Development to Tackle Food Insecurity

By Arinze Nwafor

Agribusiness stakeholders, including representatives from the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), are calling on the newly established Ministry of Livestock Development to address the country’s food insecurity issues.

President Bola Tinubu established the Ministry on July 9, 2024, during the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms at the State House in Abuja.

Kola Aderibigbe, Chairman of LCCI’s Agro-allied group, expressed support for the new Ministry but emphasized the need for a concrete plan to combat food insecurity. “It is a welcome development. It will boost the dairy farm industry and create new opportunities. However, we need clarity on the Ministry’s plans,” he told The FIRST CLASS GISTS

Aderibigbe highlighted ongoing challenges farmers face, including insecurity, and expressed hope that the Ministry would enable farmers to return to their lands and resume food production. He also raised concerns about the increased administrative costs for integrated farmers who may have to deal with both the Ministry of Livestock Development and the Ministry of Agriculture.

“There are integrated farms that combine crop farming with livestock. This dual-agency approach could lead to confusion and higher certification costs,” he noted.

Aderibigbe also questioned how the new Ministry would address farmer-herder conflicts, which have hindered many farmers from fully utilizing their land. He expressed disappointment with the lack of progress on ranching as a solution to the open-grazing debate and hoped that the initiative would not result in the appropriation of private land for grazing.

He stressed the importance of adopting modern ranching practices to fully realize the potential of Nigeria’s dairy farming industry, which is valued at billions of dollars. Aderibigbe indicated that the LCCI agro-allied group is eager to collaborate with the presidential committee as private sector stakeholders.

Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar, President of CODARAN and CEO of L&Z Integrated Farms, echoed these sentiments, stating that a dedicated Ministry is essential to unlock the full potential of dairy farming and other livestock outputs. According to the National Biotechnology Development Agency, Nigeria’s reliance on dairy imports amounted to $1.5 billion annually in 2023. Abubakar emphasized that meeting national demand for dairy products and reducing imports will take years and requires a focused effort from the new Ministry.

Abubakar, who also serves on the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms, assured that poultry farmers’ interests were considered in the discussions that led to the Ministry’s creation. The Poultry Association of Nigeria recently reported that over 30 percent of poultry farms have closed in the past six months due to high operational costs, contributing to rising egg prices.

The stakeholders hope that the new Ministry will take decisive action to support the agribusiness sector and improve food security in Nigeria.