The Federal Government and Adamawa State Government have pledged to deepen their partnership in the livestock sector with a focus on improving food production, creating jobs and opening up new economic opportunities for Nigerians.
The commitment was made during the visit of Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, to Adamawa State, where he commissioned key livestock facilities developed through collaboration between the Federal Government and the State.
The minister commissioned a 40-million-dose vaccine cold-chain facility in Jambutu, an artificial insemination centre at Adamawa State University, Mubi, and an animal quarantine station in Maiha Local Government Area.
Speaking during the visit, Maiha said the facilities were part of the Federal Government’s efforts to build a stronger and more productive livestock industry across the Country.
He explained that the artificial insemination centre would help improve the quality and productivity of livestock through better breeding, while the cold-chain facility would ensure that vaccines are properly stored and available for animal disease control.
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The minister said the quarantine station in Maiha would also help protect the livestock industry by ensuring that animals brought into the state are examined and certified healthy before being traded or taken for processing.
Maiha also stated that the creation of livestock development ministries in 21 States reflected the Federal Government’s determination to unlock the potential of the sector and make it a stronger contributor to Nigeria’s economy.
He, however, stressed that States would be allowed to decide the livestock value chains that best suit their local conditions and economic potential.
“States have the right to choose what value chain they want to develop. The Federal Government is not going to impose any value chain on the states,” he said.
The minister also listed some of the interventions carried out in Adamawa under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES).
They include the sinking of nine boreholes, provision of a tractor, rehabilitation of micro earth dams and plans to provide solar-powered pumps for dry-season pasture production at the Gongoshi Grazing Reserve.
According to Maiha, the interventions are designed to improve access to water and pasture, increase livestock productivity and help farmers cope with climate-related challenges.
He said the Ministry would continue to work with State Governments, private investors and other stakeholders to create an environment where businesses could invest and grow in the livestock sector.
Maiha added that stronger investment in animal health, breeding, infrastructure and processing would help Nigeria produce more food while creating jobs and new businesses across the livestock value chain.
Receiving the minister, Kaletapwa Farauta Adamawa State Deputy Governor, praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration for its investment in the livestock sector.
Farauta said the state government would continue to invest in livestock because of its importance to food security, employment and the livelihoods of people in rural communities.
She said Adamawa was ready to work closely with the Federal Government to develop livestock value chains and ensure that farmers and livestock producers benefit from the opportunities in the sector.
“We will continue to support programmes that improve livestock production and the livelihood of our people,” she said.
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