FG To Improve Livestock Production

FG Targets New Agric-focused Bank

The federal government has mapped out programmes aimed at improving livestock production in the country.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, revealed this during a media parley on the forthcoming two-day retreat on Livestock and Dairy Development in Nigeria slated for June 7-8, 2016 in Abuja.

 He said the present administration was ready to embark on various agricultural programmes that would develop the nation’s livestock industry.

According to him, these programmes include the establishment of ranches to be planted with high quality improved tropical grass and legume species;provision of irrigation for all-year commercial fodder production to enhance settlement of pastoralists; cattle, sheep and goat improvement through an expanded breeding programme that will be aggressively pursued using artificial insemination.

It also includes establishment of clusters of dairy farmers which would be equipped with milk collection facilities; capacity building programmes for livestock farmers and introduction of single credit facility for livestock and other farming activities.

The minister expressed regret over the huge import bill of milk, which he put at 1.3 billion dollars. He stated that the federal government was determined to intensify efforts in increasing livestock production along its value chains.
He added that the ministry was ready to create enabling environments for potential investors to grow and develop the nation’s livestock industry to achieve self-sufficiency as well as become a net exporter to other West African countries.

He explained that the retreat with the theme: “Setting an Agenda for Commercialising Livestock and Dairy Commodity Value Chain” is being organised by the ministry in collaboration with African Business Round table to create an enabling environment to attract private sector investment for the development of livestock and dairy sector in Nigeria.

He noted that this would generate employment and create wealth through the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise (LIFE) project of the ministry as well as improve contribution to foreign earnings and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

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