By Faridat Salifu
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has reaffirmed its commitment to boost the production and productivity levels of livestock in the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Sabi Abdullahi stated this while speaking today at the 12th joint annual meeting of Animal Science Association of Nigeria and Nigerian Institute of Nigeria Science in Abuja.
The minister, who expressed the concern of the government over the spiraling cost of feed and its impact on the livestock industries, called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in the livestock sub-sector to address challenges affecting food and nutrition security in the country.
Also Chairman of the All-Progressive Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje who underscored important sources of high-quality animal protein, said that the livestock sector contributes nearly 40% of total agricultural output in developed countries and 20% in developing ones, supporting the livelihood of at least 1.3 billion people worldwide.
He said, “Agriculture in Nigeria provides livelihood for more people than any other sector or industry. Growth in agricultural production and productivity has been influential in raising rural incomes, to support the increasing numbers dependent on the industry and to meet the food and raw material needs of the fast-growing urban populations.
“Enhancing agricultural productivity contributes to industrial growth by providing cheap labour, capital investment, foreign exchange and markets for manufactured consumer goods (FAO, 2019).
“The livestock sector contributes nearly 40% of total agricultural output in developed countries and 20% in developing ones, supporting the livelihood of at least 1.3 billion people worldwide. Livestock is reported to provide over half of the value of global agricultural output and one third in developing countries, which is viewed as a ‘food revolution’.
“Livestock are capital assets, produced in the past and contributing to future product output. Investment in, or the acquisition of, livestock involves saving or borrowing, justified by the expected future return on capital.”
The APC Chairman noted that the Nigerian livestock sub-sector is very vital to the socioeconomic development of the country and it represents an important source of high-quality animal protein, contributing 36.5 percent of the total protein intake of Nigerians. as it also generates employment, income, and earns foreign exchange for the country.
Other Stakeholders explained that livestock assets contribute to food security and are important source of protein and minerals for nutritional security.
The theme of the 12th Annual meeting centres around : Pathways to Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change in Animal Agriculture.