Livestock Potentials Threatened by Insecurity, Others Minister Laments

James Emejo

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, has said the potential promises of the livestock sector have been threatened by the “pervasive insurgence and conflicts” in the North-East, Middle Belt and other parts of the country in recent times.

The minister said the projected growth of the sector had further been slowed down by the “overwhelming consequences and negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, floods and droughts”.

Speaking at the opening a summit on National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), themed: positioning the Nigerian Livestock for the 21st Century Economy”, which was jointly organised by the ministry and Agriculture Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), the minister said the waves of destruction and demographic dislocation are so huge and unprecedented that livestock businesses are significantly disrupted with animals wiped out in many instances.

This came as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Fred Kafeero, said despite its implementation facing multiple technical and operational hiccups, the NLTP remained one of the most coherent frameworks which clearly identified the root causes of the conflict and proposed cost effective, realistic and private sector led solutions to the problems facing the sector.

But he said the implementation arrangement should be reviewed to reap its desired benefits.