By Faridat Salifu
The Federal Government has launched a new National Strategy and Action Plan (NSAP) on Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) to drive sustainable development and conservation efforts in Nigeria’s livestock sector.
The strategy, developed under the World Bank-supported Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), was unveiled at an event in Abuja by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha.
Maiha described the NSAP as a significant policy milestone and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the 2007 Interlaken Declaration, which emphasizes global collaboration for the conservation and sustainable use of animal genetic diversity.
He said the strategy aligns with international guidelines and provides a framework for strengthening food security, rural development, and biodiversity protection.
According to the minister, the declaration adopted by 106 countries recognizes animal genetic resources as essential for human nutrition and the sustainability of food systems.
Maiha noted that Nigeria’s new strategy draws heavily from the Global Plan of Action (GPA) on AnGR, which outlines 23 strategic priorities covering breed inventory, risk monitoring, conservation, and institutional capacity development.
He said the plan promotes both in-vivo (live population) and in-vitro (gene bank) conservation methods, and its implementation would help reverse the ongoing loss of livestock biodiversity and safeguard at-risk local breeds.
The strategy also aims to support inclusive growth and resilience in Nigeria’s livestock industry by strengthening technical capacity, closing policy gaps, and improving resource management.
Speaking at the event, L-PRES National Project Coordinator, Dr. Sanusi Abubakar called for accountability and urgent action to operationalize the new framework.
Abubakar said the development of the NSAP was triggered by Nigeria’s limited participation at the FAO’s global AnGR technical meetings in Rome in November 2024, where the country was assigned observer status due to non-compliance with previous commitments.
He explained that Nigeria had previously signed the Interlaken Declaration and the GPA but failed to implement key actions, resulting in reputational setbacks compared to other African nations.
“This realization became the driving force behind the development of the National Strategy and Action Plan,” Abubakar said.
He emphasized that the NSAP is designed not only to restore Nigeria’s international credibility but also to guide national-level implementation of AnGR conservation and productivity initiatives.
The federal government also inaugurated a National Advisory Committee on AnGR at the launch, signaling its commitment to oversight, coordination, and stakeholder engagement.
Officials say the strategy will serve as a cornerstone for future livestock planning, including data-driven breed improvement, rural livelihoods, and integration into broader climate-resilient agriculture frameworks.