The World Bank, in conjunction with the Federal Government of Nigeria, has unveiled a six-year livestock development initiative, tagged Livestock Productivity and Resilience (L-PRES), to tackle the persistence issue of the farmer/herdsmen crisis and improve livestock production.
The Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, while speaking at the inauguration of the project in Abuja, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has invited all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to participate in the project that will address climate change that is affecting animal breeding in the country.
Gambari disclosed that small animal veterinary clinics have been constructed in states across each geopolitical zone of the country, adding that Nigeria successfully vaccinated livestock against transboundary illnesses, which he said helped protect the nation’s livestock sector.
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“The L-PRES project would complement our efforts in the sector, as it is set to provide financing for explicitly mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation objectives across all relevant policies and strategies, including the Livestock Master Plan (LMP), the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), and the National Agriculture Transformation Innovation Policy (NATIP),” Gambari stated.
Dr. Muhammad Abubakar, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, also spoke, noting that the initiative was intended to revitalize and boost businesses associated with livestock production, such as milk and dairy products, beef, eggs, and their byproducts.
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According to Abubakar, the L-PRES was designed to address challenges associated with livestock production, including lack of access to grazing areas and water drinking points, rustling, and transboundary diseases.
The World Bank’s Deputy Country Representative, Ms. Kathy Whimp, pointed out at the occasion that the project will help resolve the farmers-herders crisis and generate wealth and employment for young Nigerians along the value chains, adding that the program would receive technical assistance from the Bank in addition to financial support.
