By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Federal Government has commissioned new pasture seed processing, hay storage and water facilities at the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s livestock sector.
The facilities include a 500-tonne-per-year hay barn, a single-line pasture seed processing unit with a capacity of 10 tonnes per hour, a 20-tonne-per-year pasture seed drying shade, and four solar-powered boreholes equipped with drinking troughs.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, commissioned the projects last Wednesday under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES).
Maiha said the investments were aimed at addressing long-standing challenges in pasture development, feed availability and water access, which are critical to improving livestock productivity and food security.
He urged NAPRI to strengthen its role as a centre of excellence for livestock research and ensure that innovations translate into tangible benefits for farmers, job creation and improved livelihoods.
The National Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Dr Sanusi Abubakar, said the interventions fall under the project’s institutional strengthening component and are designed to enhance research capacity, policy support and practical solutions for livestock development.
He disclosed that additional upgrades are ongoing at NAPRI, including improvements to artificial insemination and embryo transfer facilities, dairy and poultry units, as well as indigenous sheep and goat projects.
He added that the World Bank has rated the project satisfactory, with prospects for additional financing.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Prof Adamu Ahmed, reaffirmed the university’s support for efforts to modernise livestock production and strengthen national food systems.
The Acting Director of NAPRI, Prof Mohammed Rabiu Hassan, assured that the institute would ensure optimal use of the facilities for research and technology transfer.
