Following a meeting with Nigeria’s Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Maiha, in Abuja, Egypt and Denmark affirmed their commitment to working together to modernise Nigeria’s livestock industry. The willingness of Egypt to share knowledge in fields such as animal health, feed production, and breeding was conveyed by Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed Fouad. Jens Hansen, the Danish ambassador, commended Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for establishing the ministry and emphasised its strategic significance. Nigeria’s enormous market of more than 200 million people was emphasised by a Danish team, which included officials from Arla Foods, as a possible dairy Investment destination.
One of the key players in Arla Foods, Peder Pedersen, proposed adding dairy products to Nigeria’s school lunch program. Minister Maiha listed objectives include enhancing livestock development through the establishment of laboratories, developing feed cultivation, and upgrading native breeds. Through international partnerships, capacity-building initiatives, and innovation, he underlined the ministry’s dedication to promoting food security, employment, and economic expansion. To tackle issues and modernise Nigeria’s livestock industry, Nigeria, Denmark, and Egypt have recently stepped up their cooperation. The nation wants to make its livestock business more sustainable, productive, and ecologically friendly, which is what motivates these collaborations.
The livestock industry in Nigeria faces a number of complex issues.
Since 2020, Denmark and Nigeria have collaborated closely on a strategic sector cooperation program that aims to increase cattle production. By raising the bar for food safety, animal illness prevention, and feed management, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration helps Nigeria. Concerns about traceability and the environment are addressed by Denmark, which also highlights the green transformation of the industry. Businesses like the long-standing Nigerian company Arla Foods support initiatives like include dairy in school meals and aid in the development of the dairy industry.
Egypt has pledged to share its knowledge in animal health, feed production, and breeding. To improve Nigeria’s livestock capacities and increase its economic potential, the Egyptian government and business organisations are seeking to fortify technical collaborations. The livestock industry in Nigeria faces a number of complex issues that limit its potential for expansion and its ability to support both Economic Growth and food security. The scarcity of high-quality feed and grazing land is one of the main problems. 18.4 million cattle, 43.4 million sheep, and 76 million goats make up Nigeria’s national herd, according to a 2017 estimate. These animals put strain on the country’s meagre pasture supplies.
Livestock farming operations are disrupted by insecurity in some areas.
Seasonal variations in rainfall exacerbate this scarcity by causing droughts and a shortage of fodder in many areas. Another significant issue is disease control. Diseases affecting livestock, such as infectious bovine pleuropneumonia and foot-and-mouth disease, drastically lower output and cost farmers money. Inadequate funding for Nigeria’s veterinary Infrastructure results in subpar methods for disease surveillance and control. An additional level of complexity is introduced by the effects of Livestock Production on the ecosystem. Land degradation is caused by overgrazing, and Climate Change is made worse by livestock methane emissions.
Due to a lack of widespread adoption of climate-smart practices, the industry is susceptible to environmental shocks. Progress is further hampered by inadequate infrastructure. Large post-production losses result from the inefficient transportation of cattle and meat products to markets caused by inadequate cold storage facilities and poor road networks. Furthermore, livestock farming operations are disrupted by Insecurity in some areas, which includes disputes between farmers and herders. Finally, the bulk of livestock producers are smallholder farmers, and their access to financing continues to be a barrier. Farmers are unable to invest in improved equipment, feed, or breeding stock due to high Loan rates and a lack of available finance.
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Coordination of efforts across investment, policy, and community participation is necessary to address these issues. Bringing resources and technical know-how to the industry requires partnerships with nations and international organisations like Egypt and Denmark. Nigeria has set a five-year investment plan and a 15-year strategy for important value chains, such as meat and dairy, under its livestock master plan. It is anticipated that Denmark and Egypt’s collaborations will produce quantifiable outcomes, such as increased international trade, decreased disease prevalence, and better cattle outputs.