The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, has called on key stakeholders to cooperate to tackle pressing challenges facing Nigeria’s livestock sector, especially the persistent farmer-herder conflicts that have affected different parts of the country.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day Focus Group Discussion on Sustainable Livestock Development organised by the Ministry on Monday, the Minister noted the critical role collaboration between various actors in the sector played in achieving the desired changes.
Maiha stressed the importance of stakeholders working towards tangible, practical solutions that will benefit both the livestock industry and the nation as a whole.
According to him, the essence of the meeting was to aggregate ideas from key stakeholders towards obtaining implementable actions that will benefit the livestock industry and Nigeria in general, saying that the participants were carefully selected based on practical field experiences in their various disciplines.
The Minister explained that the establishment of the Ministry by President Bola Tinubu was a direct response to the urgent need for reforms in the livestock sector, with a specific focus on resolving farmer-herder conflicts, stressing that Nigerians are demanding real changes, particularly in reducing the conflicts and ensuring a steady supply of affordable livestock products, such as beef, dairy, poultry, and pork.
The Minister emphasized, “Nigerians are looking for change: in the areas of reduction of farmer-herder conflict, increased supply of and affordable beef, dairy products, poultry, chevon, mutton, pork, and other livestock products.”
With the Ministry and the available human resources in Nigeria, he stressed that the days of lamentation should be over, saying that stakeholders must come together and provide tangible results and cannot afford to fail.
Maiha stressed that all stakeholders, including academia, donors, private sector actors, and other government ministries, will be engaged in the ministry’s activities moving forward.
He added that they would link up with academia, donors, other MDAs, and the private sector, among others, assuring that all actors in the upstream, midstream, and downstream of the livestock chains will be consulted in the implementation of the Ministry’s activities.
Maiha also highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and results-driven actions, assuring the participants of the government’s readiness to act swiftly on accepted recommendations and be open, transparent, consultative, and result-driven, as their doors are wide open for honest discussions with all.
The Minister stated that the focus of the two-day meeting would be to discuss key themes, including Animal Health & Breeding, Livestock Entrepreneurship/Value Chains, Feed & Fodder-Grazing Reserves Development, and Cross-Cutting Issues affecting the sector, and urged the stakeholders to engage constructively and offer actionable solutions to these critical challenges.
Cooperate to tackle challenges facing Nigeria’s farmer/herder conflicts – Minister appeals to stakeholders
