Prof. Attahiru Jega, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Livestock Reforms, has called for the implementation of strategic reforms in the livestock sector to prevent protein shortages in the country.
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Prof. Attahiru Jega, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Livestock Reforms, has called for the implementation of strategic reforms in the livestock sector to prevent protein shortages in the country.
Jega made the call on Monday at the Annual Distinguished Personality Lecture organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).
The lecture had as its theme “The Political Economy of Livestock Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects”.
He said that the country’s livestock systems were ill-equipped to meet the rising protein demand as the population was projected to increase to 400 million by 2050.
According to him, the demographic surge will necessitate a 253 per cent increase in poultry meat, a 117 per cent rise in beef, and a staggering 577 per cent expansion in milk production.
“The increase is to satisfy domestic consumption requirements. There Is a need to shift from traditional open grazing to modern climate-smart livestock production.
“There should be an overhaul of outdated practices, greater investment in ranching, and conflict-sensitive policies to resolve farmer-herder tensions.
“Our livestock sector must move from underperformance and conflict to becoming a driver of peace, productivity, and prosperity. Without strategic reforms, we are courting disaster.
“A simultaneous genetic revolution anchored in animal health innovation must be urgently considered.
“Nigeria must design and activate an export acceleration policy. Special livestock export zones should be designated in key transit and production cities such as Kano, Jos, and Lagos.
“These zones will feature Halal and Kosher certification centers, ECOWAS-compliant quarantine facilities, and duty-free access to critical inputs for export-oriented producers.
“This strategy is expected to reverse Nigeria’s dependency on $1.5 billion worth of dairy imports annually and position the country to capture at least 15 per cent of West Africa’s meat trade by 2030,” he said.
In his remarks, Sen. Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central at the Senate, urged federal and state governments to allocate 10 per cent of annual budget appropriations to the agricultural sector to reflect the Maputo Declaration.
Mustapha called on members of the National Assembly to take the livestock business more serious.
He also urged students of the university to consider taking up livestock as a means of livelihood based on its inherent importance.
Also, Prof. Adedoyin Omeda, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, UNILORIN, said the topic of the lecture was informed by the rising economic and security challenges in the country.
She described Jega as a bridge between academia and transformative public service.
Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, commended the organiser of the lecture.
Egbewole, represented by Prof. Adisa Fawole, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Management Services, UNILORIN, said that the topic of the lecture was in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the president. (NAN)