FG moves to end open livestock slaughtering

The Federal Government has said it would soon end the slaughtering of livestock in uncontrolled environments across the country, as part of efforts to modernise the red meat industry and position Nigeria for the export market.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, disclosed this in Kaduna at the official launch of Olam Agri’s TruValue Cattle Feed, a beef and dairy concentrate feed.

Maiha said the government had already commenced the development of modern abattoirs and would require animals destined for the market to pass through feedlots and meet prescribed standards before slaughter.

He said, “We are going to sustain the tempo to ensure that in the not-too-distant future, we will stop trading in live animals, and every slaughtered animal in this country must be done under the controlled environment of a modern abattoir”.

According to him, the government had already conducted groundbreaking ceremonies for two abattoirs and a mini abattoir in the Offa axis in Kwara State, while another facility, under construction in Abuja, would have the capacity to process 1,000 bulls and 3,000 small ruminants daily.

He explained that the development of feedlots, modern slaughter facilities, meat processing plants and cold-chain infrastructure would enable Nigeria to produce quality and traceable meat for both domestic consumption and export.

The minister said, “For them to meet the specification, these animals will have to pass through a feedlot, whether it’s a ram, a goat, a pig, a camel, or a bull. Standards have to be introduced, and this will be enforced”.

Maiha described the launch of TruValue as timely, saying availability of quality and affordable feed remained one of the major constraints to livestock productivity and a factor contributing to conflicts involving farmers and herders.

He said adequate feed supply throughout the year, whether through fodder, crop residue, or concentrates, was critical to achieving peace, improving animal productivity, and making livestock farming commercially-viable.

“Feed remains one of the most significant constraints to livestock productivity in Nigeria. It is undoubtedly at the root cause of the current farmer-herder crisis in this country”, he said.

Maiha said balanced feed could improve weight gain, shorten finishing periods, and increase profitability for farmers, particularly when combined with quality fodder, clean water, and proper animal husbandry.

He also disclosed that Nigeria had potential buyers for its red meat from the Gulf, Middle East, and Egypt, adding that the country must take advantage of the opportunity by improving production and quality standards.

“Today, we have a lot of offtakers waiting for Nigerian red meat. I have met several potential offtakers from the Gulf, from the Middle East, including Egypt. And I do believe the African market too is going to rely on us ultimately”, he said.

The minister added that the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, approved by the National Economic Council, was designed to increase the livestock sector’s contribution from US$32billion to US$74billion within 10 years.

He added that the forthcoming Nigerian Livestock Economic Advancement Programme, (N-LEAP), would create an ecosystem involving producers, financiers, insurers, breeders, aggregators and marketers.

Maiha also sought to dispel concerns over the Federal Government’s Livestock Development Centres, stressing that the initiative was not about taking land from states or communities.

He said states would determine the livestock value chains suitable for their ecological zones and voluntarily allocate land after stakeholder consultations.

“No government, nobody, least of all under this present regime, is going to take land from anybody. The states decide what they want to do”, he said.

Representing Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, the Special Assistant on Land Resources, Umar Ismail, described the launch as a potential turning point for Nigeria’s cattle feed industry.

Ismail said Olam Agri’s intervention in the livestock sector, is aligned with the government’s ambition to transform livestock production into a major economic driver.

He said the company had invested US$150million in Nigeria since entering the feed business nine years ago, with operations covering poultry and fish feed production.

According to him, the poultry industry had grown significantly since the company’s intervention, while the cattle sector remained largely traditional and was now ripe for transformation.

“But I think it is now ripe for an intervention. It is ripe for taking this big leap forward, organising itself, and becoming a powerhouse for future economic development for a lot of traditional farmers across different parts of the country, especially in Northern Nigeria”, he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the Vice President, Agriculture, Olam Agri, Sameer Wadhera, said Nigeria would require 115% more beef and 575% more milk by 2050 to meet the demands of its projected population of nearly 400 million.

Sameer said Nigeria, which has about 24 million cattle, possesses the largest cattle herd in West Africa and the fourth largest in Africa, describing the livestock industry as a sleeping giant waiting to be awakened.

According to him, the projected population growth makes increased livestock productivity imperative, if the country is to avoid depending increasingly on imports to bridge its protein deficit.

He said, “We are projected to have a population of close to 400 million by 2050. With this population increase, we will need to feed people, and we will need a minimum of 115% more beef in the country, 575% more milk in the country”.