BRACED commission mulls partnership with Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, says Amb Keshi
By Odie Ramon, Yenagoa.
The DG of BRACED Commission, Amb Joe Keshi, has Felicitated the Honourable Minister on his appointment as the pioneer Minister of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development during a meeting in Abuja.
This was contained in a press statement signed by Eustace A. Iyayi, Special Assistant to the Hon. Minister of Livestock.
The DG used the opportunity to inform the Hon Minister of the economic potential in the livestock sector in the South-South region, which consists of the BRACED states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Edo, and Delta states. He expressed the desire of the region to collaborate and work with the new Ministry to realize the full potential of the livestock sector in the region.
The Honourable Minister, in his response, thanked the DG for finding time to visit him. He assured the DG of the readiness of the Ministry to work with and in the region to develop its livestock sector. He further informed the DG that the Ministry is interested in the improvement of our farmable animals, their health improvement, and the development of the feed, pasture, and fodder value chain. He said he would like to see youths in the region involved in fodder production for cattle, sheep, and goat production. He also informed the DG that the Ministry would like to work with the region to establish standard abattoirs in the region stating that the current one in Port Harcourt can be put to immediate use. The Minister also said it is possible to establish 2 dairy plants in the region that will off-take milk from dairy farmers in the region, noting that the region has the advantage of short distances and, therefore, short travel times between cities and towns. He said the abattoirs would serve to off-take animal feedstock from the adjoining states for meat distribution to the urban centers. The Minister said that ranching by graduates in the region can be encouraged because they have shorter learning time than non-graduate practitioners in the sector.
The meeting resolved as follows,
“The DG to meet with Commissioners of Agriculture/Livestock and Directors of Livestock in the BRACED states.
The DG to work out the modalities for the Hon Minister to be invited to the next meeting of the South-South Governors Forum for him to brief their Excellencies of the collaboration that can be established between the region and the Ministry to exploit the potential in the livestock sector”
“The Port Harcourt abattoir is to be fully assessed to know its capacity for cattle, sheep, and goat slaughter.
A program for Fodder production is outlined.
Mapping of producers in the value chain to enable their aggregation for productive alliances, which will make dealing with the region in a block easier.
Data and statistics of Livestock farms (poultry, small ruminants, and cattle and fodder production) in the region need to be known.
Pasture production can start at the next planting season if land is made available.”
