Get Guardian on GoogleTHE Federal Government has called on pastoralists, farmers, and key stakeholders in the agricultural value chain to forge a unified partnership aimed at driving sustainable growth and peaceful coexistence within the livestock sector.
Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, made the call over the weekend during a One-Day Grand National Thank You Rally organised in Abuja by a coalition of pastoralist organisations to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
Addressing the gathering, which drew state government representatives, ranchers, processors and agricultural commodity associations, Maiha urged livestock associations to collaborate closely with the government and farming communities to address production constraints, promote responsible land and water management, and eliminate farmer-herder friction.
“Livestock farmers, pastoralists, ranchers, dairy farmers, livestock traders, dealers, transporters, butchers, processors and marketers, this is your own ministry.
“Take it, own it and use it to improve your livelihood, build peace, harmony and shared prosperity,” Maiha declared.
Detailing ongoing federal interventions, the minister disclosed that seven modern veterinary hospitals have been completed while 14 others are under construction, alongside comprehensive initiatives in animal disease control, pasture development, and genetic improvement.
Speaking at the event, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, lauded the Federal Government’s vision, emphasizing that robust state-level investments in rural water facilities and livestock immunisation are already yielding results.
Represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Murtala Mohammed Dabo, Sani explained that “Mr. President has told us, livestock is not conflict; livestock is wealth.
“Pastoralists are not a problem; pastoralists are partners. So, Mr. President, we deeply appreciate your gesture in creating the Ministry of Livestock.”
National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Baba Othman Ngelzarma, noted that historical neglect of the sector had previously fueled rural insecurity, stressing that proactive collaboration remains vital for peacebuilding.
Ngelzarma noted that “The Ministry was created specifically to address the issue of peacebuilding, and that is what the Minister is doing. Peacebuilding is our concern; it is not only the concern of the farmers, it is also our concern.”
Echoing similar sentiments, the National President of the Miyetti Allah Pulaku Yeso Yeso Development Association (MAFYDA), Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman, and the President of the Federation of Agricultural and Commodity Associations of Nigeria, Sherif Balogun, pledged their full support for the administration’s reforms.
The rally concluded with the presentation of a traditional Fulani hat to the Minister Maiha on behalf of President Tinubu as a token of appreciation for institutionalising livestock governance at the federal level.
