Approves AI tool to protect farmers from livestock losses

Vice President Kashim Shettima, yesterday, unveiled the national roadmap for the cassava value chain with the aim to scale up mechanisation and ensure full commercialisation of cassava derivatives.

He said the roadmap would also focus on expanding investment in agro-processing zones, increasing access to improved planting materials, and ensuring Nigeria leads not only in production but in value addition.

The Vice President, while unveiling the roadmap during the World Cassava Day held at the Banquet Hall yesterday, said it was no longer acceptable for Nigeria to lead in production, but lag in value addition and export.

He disclosed that the Federal Government had embarked on the Cassava Bioethanol Project, targeted to save the country over N3 trillion yearly by reducing dependency on imported fuels and ethanol derivatives as well as catalyse innovation in agro-industrial waste management.

The VP said: “We are committed to repositioning cassava as a core driver of import substitution, industrial supply chains, and large-scale employment, particularly in rural areas. We must now harness cassava by-products at scale, from peels to pulp, in a way that meets domestic demand and places Nigeria among the major exporters of clean energy solutions and cassava-based industrial inputs. Our commitment to research-based innovation remains firm.”

ALSO, the Federal Government has thrown its weight behind the use of artificial intelligence in animal health management, saying it would be a game-changer in Nigeria’s quest to strengthen disease surveillance, improve food security, and modernise veterinary services.

Chief Veterinary Officer at the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Samuel Anzaku, stated this in Abuja, yesterday at the launch of VetWiz 2.0, a smart surveillance platform designed to diagnose and report livestock diseases in real time.

Developed by Farm Innovation Nigeria, the platform uses data analytics and digital tools to deliver timely diagnosis, advisory services, and market access support for livestock farmers, especially those in rural areas.

Anzaku, who was represented by Dr Olasoju Taiwo, described the innovation as a perfect fit for the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda, adding that the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development was positioned to drive such efforts forward.

He said the ministry was committed to public-private partnerships that would accelerate the use of digital solutions, including AI-powered platforms to safeguard animal and public health, especially under the National Livestock Growth Accelerated Strategy (NL-GAS) approved by the National Economic Council.

The Chief Executive Officer of Farm Innovation, Chinwe Owhorji, described the innovation as a transformative tool that enables smarter, predictive disease surveillance.

She noted that the company’s work aligns with the global One Health approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.