ABUJA — The Federal Government has begun talks with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to implement a major livestock development programme expected to generate 230,000 jobs in Nigeria, with at least 70 per cent reserved for young women.
The jobs will be created under the Rural Employment through Animal Feed Production (REAP) initiative, a $250 million programme supported by the Mastercard Foundation and spanning seven African countries.
Details of the engagement were contained in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and signed by Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Henrietta Okokon.
Speaking during a meeting with ILRI officials, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said the programme aligns with the Federal Government’s livestock transformation agenda.
“Everything is about feed and fodder,” Maiha said. “If we deliberately invest in fodder cultivation, preservation, feed compounding and value addition, we will strengthen the resilience of our livestock sector, improve productivity and create sustainable livelihoods.”
He explained that Nigeria plans to leverage its land and water resources to expand feed production, while engaging young people, especially women, in commercial livestock value chains.
Maiha also outlined plans to shift from traditional livestock migration to a more sustainable system focused on transporting processed feed to livestock-producing areas.
“We must begin to move feed instead of moving animals,” he said, noting that the approach would reduce conflicts, improve productivity and boost food security.
The minister added that the initiative would complement efforts to enhance dairy production, improve animal nutrition and eradicate livestock diseases such as Peste des Petits Ruminants.
ILRI Senior Scientist, Dr. Sibiry Traoré, said the REAP programme is designed to stimulate enterprise growth, with about 70 per cent of its funding targeted at public and private sector players.
He noted that the initiative would support investments in alternative feed technologies, including Black Soldier Fly production, cassava-based feed and improved processing systems.
Traoré also highlighted the proposed African Livestock Resilience Programme, valued at about $600 million, which aims to strengthen climate resilience, digital agriculture and financing within the livestock sector.
The Federal Government has directed relevant agencies to begin immediate engagement with ILRI and other partners, including the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, to develop a roadmap for Nigeria’s participation.
The initiative is expected to boost employment, attract investment and position Nigeria’s livestock sector for sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
