By FELICIA IMOHIMI

The Federal Government has unveiled the National Livestock Master Plan (N-LMP) to address challenges in the sector and attract investments from government, development partners and the private sector.

The plan was developed by the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

It was presented to the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, by Dr. Sanusi Abubakar, National Project Coordinator of L-PRES on Thursday in Abuja.

Maiha outlined the plan as a strategic roadmap to transform the livestock sector, which contributes about 17 per cent to agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and five per cent to national GDP.

He said millions of Nigerians depend on livestock for their livelihoods, while the sector also plays a vital role in meeting the nation?s protein needs.

?However, challenges such as low productivity, disease outbreaks, inadequate infrastructure and limited access to markets have long hampered growth.

?The N-LMP is a comprehensive five-year investment plan designed to address these challenges and guide the development of a sustainable livestock sector,? he said.

The minister explained that the plan would prioritize key commodities and value chains, identify potential technology and policy interventions, and include foresight investment analysis to show returns on combined livestock investments.

According to him, the initiative aims to increase the sector?s contribution to poverty alleviation, job creation, economic growth, food security and nutrition, while also promoting gender inclusion, youth employment, equity and environmental sustainability.

Maiha cited Tanzania?s experience, noting that the country adopted a similar approach in 2018 with support from ILRI, which secured 624 million dollars in research investment and stimulated private sector participation.

?The N-LMP will enable Nigeria to implement the Livestock Development Strategy for Africa (LiDeSA) and contribute to the Malabo Declaration as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

?It is a commitment to a future where Nigeria?s livestock sector is not just sustainable, but thriving, innovative and a major driver of national prosperity,? he added.

He urged stakeholders to embrace the plan with enthusiasm, attract the necessary investments and build a resilient and equitable livestock sector for the country.

Abubakar said the plan covered the entire livestock value chain, from feed to species, and identified the roles of federal and state governments, the private sector and other stakeholders.

He stressed that the private sector remained a key player in driving investment and unlocking the potential of the industry for food security, job creation, poverty reduction and social cohesion.

Dr. Sirak Batha, Senior Agricultural Economist at ILRI, said the plan comprised four components.

He listed them as a systemic assessment of the sector?s status and constraints, a medium-term development strategy based on forward-looking analysis, and a short-term investment plan tailored to specific commodities and value chains.

He added that the fourth component was a coalition of public and private sector stakeholders co-creating and driving change. (NAN)

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