Jega calls for animal identification to boost livestock products

Prof Attahiru Jega, co-chairman of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee (PLRIC), has urged the Federal Government to enhance the National Animal Identification and Traceability (NAIT) system to boost livestock product standards and address security concerns. This recommendation emerged from a recent two-day workshop on livestock reforms, held at the State House Banquet Hall in […]

Jega calls for animal identification to boost livestock products

Former INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega

Prof Attahiru Jega, co-chairman of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee (PLRIC), has urged the Federal Government to enhance the National Animal Identification and Traceability (NAIT) system to boost livestock product standards and address security concerns.

This recommendation emerged from a recent two-day workshop on livestock reforms, held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, which concluded with a set of proposed reforms for Nigeria’s livestock sector.

The workshop included stakeholders who discussed a broad range of reforms targeting various livestock subsectors, such as ruminants, dairy, poultry, swine, and micro-livestock, as well as areas like animal health, breed improvement, and climate action.

Participants also stressed the urgent need for reliable supplies of grains, forage, pasture, and animal feeds, noting that smuggling issues have strained livestock production.

The communique, issued after the workshop, reads, “There is the need to develop a targeted policy framework to address climate change impacts on livestock production and integrate climate-smart practices across all livestock sub-sectors.

“The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development should provide a framework for effective management of conflicts between farmers and herders at state, LGA, district and community levels with clear financing mechanisms for its operations.”

The stakeholders also suggested that the management of waste generated from the production process of the livestock value chains should be adequately planned for its conversion to wealth.