Kemi Akinseye
Nigeria’s Livestock farmers and stakeholders within the sector have called upon the Federal Government to immediately take action against the rising impact of climate change on Nigeria’s livestock sector, warning that extreme weather conditions, droughts, and spiralling feed costs are severely undermining productivity and threatening the country’s meat supply chain.
It made the appeal during the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Stakeholders’ Engagement Plan Validation Workshop, held in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Participants at the event expressed concerns that without immediate intervention, the sector faces unprecedented challenges that could compromise food security across the country.
The workshop, organised by Ondo L-PRES in partnership with the Federal Government, Ondo State Government, Global Peace Development and the World Bank, brought together representatives of federal and state institutions, local government authorities, traditional and religious bodies, livestock producers, crop farmers, private sector actors and other stakeholders.
Climate change according to participants had introduced new challenges to livestock production, leading to declining productivity and poor animal performance under harsh and dry conditions.
The Executive Director of Global Peace Development, Ebruke Onajite Esike, while speaking at the event urged the government to adopt climate-smart strategies that would benefit both farmers and herders.
“Government can invest in water containment from upper to lower catchment areas and use the water for climate-smart initiatives that are mutually beneficial for farmers and herders. This will allow both sides to cultivate and use pastures in ways that support each other, whether as crop farmers or pastoralists.”
He explained that the validation workshop was aimed at strengthening the outcomes of an earlier stakeholders’ roundtable discussion held in Akure on February 4.
After this gathering, we will review the documents and data collected from the roundtable discussions and field surveys so that they can guide future interventions,” he said.
On the recurring farmers–herders crisis, Esike proposed measures that could reduce tension and improve monitoring, emphasising that government should also provide structured resting points for herders.
The traditional cattle routes have been compromised by development and population growth. The government should create new infrastructure where herders can rest, but not free of charge. Those who use such facilities should pay for the services, since resources will be deployed to manage them.”
The State Chairman of the Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria, Fadipe Olawande, also said climate change was increasing production costs and weakening poultry output across the state.
He called for improved access to affordable feed and climate-resilient farming techniques to help poultry farmers cope with the changing environment.
Also, the State Programme Coordinator of L-PRES, Olufemi Adeogun, said the project had recorded significant interventions in animal health across the 18 local government areas of the state.
“Our interventions have focused on improving animal health and building resilience among livestock farmers across the state,” he said, adding that the project would continue to align its strategies with climate adaptation goals.
In his remarks, the Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Olaleye Akinola, represented by Mrs Gladys Adeduba, described the engagement as timely, stressing that sustainable livestock development could only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and cooperation.
It’s indeed a wake up call for the government at all levels to take necessary steps to mitigate the effect of climate change on livestock , to provide succour livestock farmers.
