Livestock production: An escape from poverty

For some years, Nigeria has been seeking to achieve economic fortune by using its petroleum resources. However, livestock production is key to food security. Livestock production is not only a traditional practice, but is also a mode of economic development if heavily invested in. Livestock farming, including animal husbandry, is an important agricultural subsector as livestock and its byproducts are of upmost benefit to the human race.

Growth in the livestock subsector, in my opinion, has gone beyond that of the crop farming such that the demand for livestock production is expected to double globally by 2030. Although poverty and hunger are persistent in many developing countries, livestock production is a pathway out of poverty for farmers.

The contribution of livestock production in Nigeria is relatively moderate. It contributes a very low percentage to the country’s GDP. In high-income earning countries, evidence suggests that livestock production contributes enormous percent to the GDP, suggesting the importance of this subsector to the world economy. Yet for many rural people living in poverty, lack of resources, information, as well as poor connection to market and essential services hinders livestock production capacity.

While livestock production may be their highest hope for financial returns, many poor households do not have access to resilient and productive animal breeds.

In conclusion I implore the ministry, agencies and office connected to this subsector to devote more attention to livestock production as its relevance cannot be downplayed.

Oloko Abdulrahman, [email protected]

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