ABUJA – Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Improvement,has reaffirmed the Federal Authorities’s dedication to fostering peace, financial development, and sustainable livestock improvement in Benue State specifically, and Nigeria typically.
Talking on the 1st Benue State Livestock Improvement Summit held in Makurdi the Benue state capital on the weekend, the Minister recommended Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia for his foresight in establishing the Benue State Bureau for Livestock Improvement and appointing Dr. Aondoakaa Asambe as its Director-Basic.
Maiha acknowledged that the creation of the Bureau aligns with President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda, which recognises the immense but largely untapped financial potential in Nigeria’s livestock sector.
He famous that the institution of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Improvement is a strategic step towards wealth creation, job alternatives, and nationwide financial transformation.
“The mandate of the Ministry is to modernise the sector and create financial alternatives within the manufacturing and advertising and marketing of all farmable animals starting from the bee to cattle, camels, and donkeys,” he stated.
Reiterating the significance of data-driven insurance policies, the Minister defined that the livestock sector presently contributes 9 p.c to the GDP, valued at $32 billion, and has the potential to develop to $74 billion by 2035 by focused investments in breeding, animal well being administration, feed manufacturing, and market enlargement.
“The Ministry has digitised the grazing routes, and the 417 grazing reserves will likely be regrassed for pasture for settlement of pastoralists.
“The subnational governments have additionally been requested to allocate land for pasture manufacturing for fodder export whose present world market demand is about $2.09 billion.
“We’re additionally working to create disease-free zones and disease-free compartments at Obudu Cattle Ranch and the Mambila plateau and different places for the manufacturing of wholesome animals for home and world meat markets,” Maiha added.
He careworn that structured livestock improvement will not be solely an financial crucial but additionally a peacebuilding technique, as it’s going to assist mitigate long-standing conflicts between farmers and herders.
This was contained in a press release issued by Ben. Bem Goong,Director, Data and Public Relations Division, Federal Ministry of Livestock Improvement.
In his remarks, Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Iormem Alia,welcomed the Minister and expressed gratitude for the Federal Authorities’s assist in repositioning Benue State as a frontrunner in livestock manufacturing.
Alia famous that for many years, agriculture in Benue has been dominated by crop manufacturing, leaving livestock improvement largely uncared for regardless of its potential to fight meals insecurity, generate wealth, and enhance the state’s GDP.
He reiterated his administration’s dedication to altering this narrative by making livestock improvement a precedence, as mirrored within the institution of the Bureau for Livestock Improvement and Transboundary Animal Illnesses Management.
“With 25,500 sq. km of arable land and immense livestock farming potential, Benue is able to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Improvement and personal sector buyers.
In 2025, we’re adopting “Pasture as a Fodder Crop”, a strategic transfer to domesticate improved pasture that may be baled and bought to less-endowed areas with excessive livestock populations, significantly cattle and different ruminants,” the governor acknowledged.
Governor Alia additional listed a number of state-owned livestock services that require rehabilitation and modernisation, together with the Ikyôgen Cattle Ranch and Resort, the Livestock Investigation and Breeding Centre in Raav, and the Makurdi Worldwide Cattle Market, amongst others, requesting the intervention of the Federal Authorities in rehabilitating the services.
He additionally reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to the Prohibition of Open Grazing and Ranches Institution Regulation 2017 (as amended), calling on the Federal Ministry of Livestock Improvement to paved the way in nationwide legislative reforms that may promote ranching as the usual follow for livestock administration in Nigeria.
Highlights of the summit embody the inspection of Livestock manufacturing inputs resembling feeds and animal well being associated merchandise by the Minister.
The Minister additionally inspected a swine enchancment centre on the Akperan Orshi School of Agriculture in Gboko, and the cattle breeding farm at RAAV in Gwer west Native Authorities Space of Benue state, promising that his Ministry will put aside ample assets for the rehabilitation and improve of the services.
On the lighter facet of the summit, Governor Alia, assisted by the Govt Secretary of the Tertiary Schooling TrustFund (TETFUND),Architect Sunny Echono closely adorned the Minister and different personalities with the Tiv and Idoma Conventional apparel respectively, giving the Minister a brand new identify, BEMDOO, that means, peace is sweet.
By this new identify, Idi Mukhtar Maiha is now the ambassador of peace going ahead.
