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By Samaila Emmanuel Bzugu
Newly appointed Minister of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has outlined his immediate tasks to modernize Nigeria’s livestock sector. In his inaugural address to staff in Abuja, Maiha acknowledged the numerous challenges facing the sector, including high-quality feed costs, disease outbreaks, farmer-herder conflicts, overgrazing, aging stocks, climate change, limited credit facilities, and inadequate infrastructure.
Empowering stakeholders, from smallholder farmers to large-scale producers, through policies and programs that foster investment, climate-smart livestock farming, modernization, and commercialization
Maiha’s top priorities include empowering stakeholders, from smallholder farmers to large-scale producers, through policies and programs that foster investment, climate-smart livestock farming, modernization, and commercialization. He also aims to maximize grazing reserves development to address farmer-herder clashes sustainably.
Encourage investment, climate-smart livestock farming, modernization, and commercialization, Prioritize maximum utilization and development of national grazing reserves and Incentivize participation in the livestock value chain for job creation, improved livelihoods, and wealth
Maiha emphasized that the livestock sector is vital to Nigeria’s food security, rural development, and cultural heritage, supporting millions of Nigerians. His mission is to transform the sector into a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive ecosystem for private sector actors to thrive.
The National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) 2019-2028 and the National Policy and Strategy for Livestock Value Chain in Nigeria provide a framework for Maiha’s objectives. With a focus on modernization and sustainability, Maiha’s leadership is poised to address the sector’s challenges and unlock its potential for economic growth and development.
