The Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has inaugurated the Nigeria Feed and Fodder Multi-Stakeholder Platform to identify and address the challenges facing Nigeria’s feed and fodder industry.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sabi Abdullahi while inaugurating the Platform, said that the development of a viable feed and fodder sector in Nigeria will unlock several economic potentials and help the country address the longstanding farmer-herder conflicts.
The Minister performed the inauguration at the closing of the Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS) project organised by the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), in collaboration with the Nigerian government.
According to him, the initiative is expected to create a new economic hub for food and nutrition security, while contributing significantly to President Bola Tinubu’s economic vision.
Sabi however, emphasised the important role of the livestock industry in the nation’s economy, stating that the global economy for livestock stands at approximately $3.3 trillion, with Nigeria’s own estimate at about N33 trillion.
He, therefore, called on the Nigerian youth to seize this opportunity by creating technology-driven solutions that will develop the sector into a data-driven and evidence-based industry.
Earlier, RAFFS Project Lead, Sarah Ashanut Ossiya reiterated the crucial role of investment in the feed and fodder sector to accelerate food security across Africa.
She commended Nigeria for establishing its Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) while expressing confidence in Nigeria’s leadership as she predicted significant changes in the sector within the next few years.
Ossiya criticised the luxury status of livestock-sourced foods in the continent which should be accessible dietary choices rather than expensive commodities.
She said that the unstructured nature of the feed and fodder sector has led to significant economic losses in the continent’s livestock sector.
The Director, Animal Husbandry Services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Winnie Lai-Solarin in her remarks, commended the stakeholders, saying that the multi-stakeholder platform, was a stride towards policy reform and the creation of an ecosystem tailored for the feed and fodder industry.
Lai-Solarin highlighted the collaborative efforts with financial institutions to forge business models and investment opportunities for barrier-breaking advancements in the sector.
Members of the Muti-stakeholders platform include Professor Ari Maikano (President) Detoun Abbi-Olaniyan (Vice President), Dr Rabe Mani, Dr Joshua Zira, Collins Nnabuife, Dr. Yunusa M. Ishiaku, Winnie Lai-Solarin, Dr. Godwin Oyediji, Dianabasi Akpainyang, Onallo Akpa, Fisayo Kayode, Ramat Mohammed, Me Roland Oroh.
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