By Stella Odueme
FG develops framework to boost livestock productivity, reduce production costs
The Federal Government has developed an implementation framework for the National Feed and Fodder Policy to boost livestock productivity, reduce production costs, strengthen food security and promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and pastoralists.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a three-day stakeholders’ workshop organised to develop the implementation framework.
Maiha said adequate, affordable and quality feed and fodder were essential to sustainable livestock development, noting that feed accounts for approximately 70 per cent of the total cost of livestock production.
He explained that inadequate access to animal feed, coupled with seasonal shortages of pasture and water, continued to constrain livestock production and intensify competition over natural resources, sometimes resulting in conflicts between farmers and pastoralists.
The minister said developing a sustainable feed and fodder value chain would encourage livestock owners to adopt organised production systems, reduce the need for animals to roam in search of pasture and minimise crop destruction and disputes over farmland.
He called for a transition from overdependence on unmanaged natural grazing to organised, commercially viable and climate-resilient feed and fodder production systems capable of ensuring year-round availability.
Maiha also urged stakeholders to explore the use of agricultural by-products, particularly rice straw and other crop residues, as livestock feed.
He identified in a statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations Department, Henrietta Okokon, rice-producing communities in Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa and Benue states as areas with significant potential for recovering agricultural residues and converting them into valuable livestock feed rather than allowing them to go to waste or be burnt.
“Nigeria has considerable opportunities to address feed shortages through better resource utilisation, improved storage and preservation methods, fodder cultivation and investment in appropriate technologies,” he said.
The minister further emphasised the need to strengthen fodder seed production and promote resilient grass varieties suited to the country's diverse ecological zones.
Earlier, the Director of Ranch and Pastoral Resources Development in the ministry, Dr Hakeem Ibilade, said the workshop aimed to develop a national implementation framework, strategic alignment matrix, roles and responsibilities matrix, resource mobilisation strategy, and monitoring and evaluation framework.
Ibilade explained that the initiative was designed to address recurring dry-season shortages through sustainable interventions that would ensure a consistent supply of feed and fodder throughout the year.
He said the objective was to translate the policy into practical action through an operational blueprint that aligns environmental, economic and social policy objectives.
In his goodwill message, the National Coordinator of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), Dr Sanusi Abubakar, reaffirmed the project's commitment to supporting the policy's implementation.
Abubakar disclosed that all 29 states participating in the L-PRES project would incorporate the implementation framework into their annual work plans to promote coordinated action at the subnational level.
He also highlighted plans to develop 500 hectares of pastureland for herders across selected states, adding that future interventions would expand pasture areas and promote the effective utilisation of fodder residues.
Similarly, Temi Adegoroye, representing SAHEL Consulting Ltd., pledged the organisation's continued support for the policy's implementation.
Adegoroye stressed the importance of integrating sustainability into fodder development and ensuring the effective utilisation of fodder seeds and other outputs to reduce waste and maximise investments.
The three-day workshop brought together government officials, state representatives, development partners, private-sector operators, technical experts and other stakeholders to develop implementation strategies and establish mechanisms for executing the policy.
The initiative is part of the Federal Government's efforts to build a productive, resilient and commercially viable livestock sector in support of economic growth, food security and sustainable national development.