The Federal Government has urged ECOWAS Member States to work collectively to advance the livestock sector across the subregion.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Mr. Edi Muktambe, made the appeal at the opening session of a policy dialogue workshop focused on assessing the PRISMA project’s contribution to regional agricultural priorities in West Africa and the Sahel.
The minister, represented by the Director, Technical Office of the Permanent Secretary, FMLD, Peter Alike, underscored Nigeria’s commitment to the sector, noting that deeper development of livestock production could address many of the region’s challenges.
He said Member States of ECOWAS and the Sahel would be better positioned to adequately feed their populations if the livestock sector received greater attention.
“I don’t know of any other country in West Africa and the Sahel that has a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development, and I don’t know any other ministry in Nigeria that is a Ministry of Development. It is only the Livestock Ministry that is a Ministry of Development.
“And that is deliberate. It is deliberate in the context that the government is aware that livestock production is at a very rudimentary stage and requires development.
“We cannot do it alone. You cannot do it alone. If we hold our hands together, then we will be able to really bring our competitiveness out to increase productivity.”
He added that Nigeria has outlined a strategic plan for 2025 to 2030, targeting substantial economic growth through livestock.
“I have told you already that we have a strategic plan which is going to run from 2025 to 2030. We have a basket of livestock contribution to GDP, which is currently about $32 billion.
“Our mission is, in the next 10 years, there is a baseline, a base anticipation of $74 billion and then, of course, a high expectation of about $94 billion,” he said.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, represented by the Acting Executive Director of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA), Mr. Konlani Kanfitin, also emphasized the sector’s significance, noting its impact on food security, employment, and the livelihoods of millions of rural households.
Touray said ECOWAS, through its regional agricultural policy (ECOWAP), is committed to transforming agriculture and food systems across West Africa.
He noted that the Research and Innovation Project for Productive, Resilient, and Healthy Agro-Pastoral Systems in West Africa (PRISMA) has played a key role in supporting ECOWAP by promoting an agroecological transformation tailored to climate change, helping agro-pastoral systems become more productive, resilient, and environmentally sustainable.
“The project has produced several research results and innovations that take into account regional priorities related to value chain productivity and competitiveness, food and nutritional security, youth employment, climate change, and gender.
“This policy dialogue workshop constitutes a key moment for reflection and collective action; it is intended as a space for discussions and decision-making to improve the policy environment for research and innovation to increase the productivity and resilience of agro-pastoral systems in West Africa and the Sahel,” he said.
