Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has inaugurated members of the National Council on Livestock Development and its Technical Committee, marking a significant step toward transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector into a key driver of economic diversification, food security, rural development, and peacebuilding.
The governor, represented by Deputy Governor Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, at the event in Yola, called on the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to support Adamawa’s “Natural Resource Fund Grant Application,” submitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May 2024.
The proposal seeks funding for a programme titled “Improving Livestock Productivity and Mitigation of Herders–Farmers Conflict through Effective Utilisation of Grazing Reserves.”
Farauta also called for federal intervention to support a Model Demonstration Pilot Ranch under the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), specifically its pillar on economic investment in ranching, fodder production, and value chains.
She highlighted ongoing state efforts to revitalise the livestock sector, including the rehabilitation and demarcation of 69 grazing reserves, 32 gazetted and 37 ungazetted, along with stock routes, dam desilting, and the provision of watering points. She said the government has established a state office for the NLTP to support pasture development at the Gongoshi Grazing Reserve.
The deputy governor listed several other initiatives: modernisation and construction of international cattle and livestock markets; rehabilitation of the Yola Ultra-Modern Abattoirs; and construction of state-of-the-art veterinary hospitals, clinics, and laboratories.
According to her, Adamawa has also built Artificial Insemination Centres across its three geopolitical zones, alongside cold-chain facilities and milk collection centres operated by L-Press.
According to her, these efforts aim to strengthen veterinary and animal health systems, especially in disease surveillance and control, including vaccination campaigns against CBPP, FMD, PPR, HS, LSD, and rabies.
Earlier, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who chaired the maiden meeting of the council, urged members to deepen collaboration and attract investment across the livestock value chain.
He said the ministry was created to modernise the sector and reduce conflict, guided by the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), the National Livestock Master Plan, and other policy frameworks.
The council, as noticed by The Guardian, comprises commissioners and directors of livestock development from all 36 states and the FCT, as well as industry stakeholders. Its inaugural meeting, themed “Livestock Rebirth: Accelerating Renewed Hope,” aims to grow the livestock industry from its current $32 billion valuation to $74 billion within five years.
Maiha revealed that multiple companies have already expressed interest in investing in dairy, beef, fodder, small ruminants, animal breeding, poultry, and piggery.
He added that the ministry has registered eight new pasture species, rehabilitated the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, and expanded national vaccine production capacity from 120 million to 850 million doses annually.
“Our target to double national milk production from 700,000 to 1.4 million metric tons annually is now within reach,” the minister said, noting the importance of reducing Nigeria’s $1.5 billion yearly dairy import bill.
