Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Nigeria Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has decried that West African countries and the entire Sahelian region are still faced with the challenge of limited and quality animal feeds.

The minister who spoke at the opening of the regional high-level workshop on the development of animal feed industry in West Africa and the Sahel on Tuesday in Abuja said a strong local feed industry in the region will not only create jobs but reduce dependence on imports and also strengthen food sovereignty in the region.

Maiha, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Chinyere Akujobi, said the region has significant potential in terms of animal production, pastoral areas, diverse livestock, ancestral know-how of livestock farmers.

He said: “West Africa and the Sahel have significant potential in terms of animal production, pastoral areas, diverse livestock, ancestral know-how of livestock farmers, but also among all in terms of their contribution to food security, poverty reduction, and empowering national economies.

 “Despite the importance of the sector, livestock development in West Africa and the Sahel still faces a major challenge, which is the limited availability and quality of animal feed. Animal feed accounts for a significant portion of animal production costs.

“The lack of industrial infrastructure, dependence on imported inputs, climate variability, and insufficient regional coordination limit the competitiveness of this sector.

 “This situation also hinders the modernisation of livestock farming, increases the vulnerability of livestock farmers, and reduces countries’ ability to meet growing demand for food products.”

He noted that Nigeria’s animal feed production policy is perfectly aligned with the current dynamic and is indeed amplified as a major focus in the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, NLGAS, which is Nigeria’s livestock strategy plan for the year 2025 to the year 2035.

He added that: “Let me at this juncture reiterate that the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development of Nigeria remains fully committed to supporting the transformation of the livestock sector.”

He noted that this is a key pillar of the country’s rural economy and the development of a strong animal feed industry in West Africa and the Sahel.

He said: “We believe that a strong local and regional animal feed industry will not only create jobs, it will reduce dependence on imports and will, above all, strengthen food sovereignty in our region.

“To this end, we look forward to the effective operationalisation of the livestock feed components of the ECOWAS regional food security programme.”

 He noted the workshop is timely as it aims to promote dialogue among public and private actors. It also provides us the opportunity and platform to share successful experiences and identify tools for developing a genuine regional animal feed industry.

He said: “We believe that a strong local and regional animal feed industry will not only create jobs, it will also reduce dependence on imports and above all, strengthen food sovereignty in our region.”

Earlier, the Executive Director, Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA), Konlani Kanfitin, revealed the two-day workshop was designed to foster dialogue, innovation and policy harmonisation in West Africa’s agricultural sector.

He added that: “They also aim to transform evidence and research results generated under the research and innovation project on Productive, Resilient and Healthy Agro-pastoral Systems in West Africa (PRISMA) programme into concrete regional priorities that support food security, private sector participation and sustainable agricultural transformation.”

Kanfitin, while noting that the livestock sector occupies a central place in the economies of member states, regretted that its development is constrained by numerous challenges.

He feared that without a structured and efficient sector; it will be difficult to sustainably modernize livestock production or meet the growing demand for animal products.

Kanfitin said our region has abundant and varied resources, including agricultural by-products, agro-industrial co-products, fodder crops, enterprising and innovative youth.

He insisted this potential must be fully harnessed to build a genuine regional animal feed industry that is competitive, sustainable and job-creating.

He said: “This workshop therefore represents a key moment for reflection and collective action to make real ECOWAS’s commitment through its Regional Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP) and its projects and programs in the livestock sector.”

Meanwhile, ECOWAS in collaboration with its partners, has carried out studies on the establishment of a feed supply center, exceptional import procedures for animal feed in crisis situations, development of an online booking and purchasing application, established information platform on the availability and accessibility of animal feed in feed banks as well as prepared a harmonized protocol for sampling and analysis of animal feed.

Kanfitin said: “We firmly believe that a strong regional animal feed industry will make the ECOWAS Regional Food Security Reserve more operational and more effective in crisis management.”

The PRISMA Project is co-financed by the European Union and the Spanish Cooperation (AECID), with the technical support of the Luxembourg Cooperation, Belgian Cooperation and the Spanish Cooperation.

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