FG to leverage strategic partnerships for livestock development

• Bauchi to vaccinate two million livestock as dogs bite 200 residents

The Federal Government has said that it is charting a transformative food security and economic outlook for the livestock sector leveraging on strategic partnerships to boost food production.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha, made this known while hosting a delegation from the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), and Dabareji Farms on advancing the livestock value chain, yesterday, in Abuja.

He said: “Our focus is on improving the value chain, ensuring food security, and unlocking the immense economic potential of the livestock industry.

“Collaborative efforts with private sector players and financial institutions like NIRSAL will enable us to build sustainable solutions for animal husbandry, disease control and market access.”

Speaking on the importance of bridging the gaps in the livestock value chain, the Head of the NIRSAL delegation, Sa’ad Hamidu, said that the recently established 1,500-capacity meat-processing factory in Abuja is a key step toward a sustainable supply chain.

MEANWHILE, the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has flagged off the 2025 livestock vaccination campaign, targeting over two million different types of animals across the state.

Mohammed, who spoke during the event in Itas, yesterday, said that the state is among the highest producers of livestock with 75 per cent of farmers engaging in rearing of different livestock.

According to the governor, available data showed that Bauchi has over three million herds of cattle, and eight million sheep and goats, hence the need to vaccinate the animals against diseases.

The governor also added that in 2024, Bauchi State recorded 200 incidents of dog bites with 23 confirmed cases of rabies. He said that the deadly dog bites must be prevented while urging dog owners to submit their dogs for vaccinations.