By Abbas Nazil
The Federal Government has intensified efforts to secure international climate finance to transform Nigeria’s livestock sector as part of a broader strategy aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural development, strengthening food security, creating employment opportunities, and addressing the growing impacts of climate change.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, disclosed this during a meeting with representatives of the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Maiha stated that climate change poses a significant threat to livestock production and the livelihoods of millions of rural households across Nigeria.
He emphasized the need for deliberate and coordinated actions to enhance the resilience of the livestock sector while positioning the country to benefit from available global climate financing mechanisms.
According to the minister, the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident across Nigeria’s livestock industry.
He noted that declining water resources, unpredictable rainfall patterns, increasing temperatures, heat stress on animals, and shrinking grazing lands are already affecting livestock productivity and sustainability.
Drawing from his experience as a livestock farmer spanning more than two decades, Maiha stressed that climate change is no longer a distant concern but a present reality that requires urgent intervention.
He said the government is committed to protecting the environment while transforming livestock production into a modern and climate-smart sector capable of meeting future demands.
As part of its adaptation and mitigation strategy, the ministry is pursuing the rehabilitation of grazing reserves, expansion of fodder cultivation, improved rangeland management practices, adoption of renewable energy technologies, and the promotion of settled livestock production systems.
The minister explained that these initiatives are designed to reduce environmental degradation, improve productivity, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the sector.
He further reaffirmed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with development partners and international organizations in developing investment-ready projects capable of attracting climate finance.
Earlier, AGNES Director of Technical Services, Dr. David Olufemi Awolala, informed the minister that the organization, with support from GIZ, is already working closely with the ministry’s Technical Working Group on Climate Change.
He explained that efforts are underway to develop bankable proposals focusing on feeds and fodder development, livestock value chain improvement, and animal health systems.
According to him, the proposals are expected to attract funding from major international financing institutions, including the Green Climate Fund, the African Development Bank, and other global climate investment platforms.
The delegation also outlined plans to strengthen the ministry’s capacity to access climate finance and effectively implement sustainable livestock development programmes that support Nigeria’s climate commitments and national development objectives.
The meeting was attended by senior ministry officials, representatives of AGNES and GIZ, including Mr. Adeoye Adekunle Afees, as well as members of the Ministry’s Technical Working Group on Climate Change led by Dr. Peter Alike.
