FG’s Livestock Transformation Plan To Create 2m Jobs – Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) of the Federal Government is projected to create about two million jobs if implemented successfully across the country.

Osinbajo said this at the 2022 Livestock and Aquaculture Trade Fair, organised by Linkers Continental Resources Ltd., in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture in Lagos.

The vice president was represented by Efosa Onyezebe, Delivery Advisor, National Livestock Transformation Plan, office of the Special Adviser to the President on Agriculture.

He said that the policy was targeted at transforming the environment that would lead to peaceful co-existence, economic development and food security for the entire population.

He said that private investors should take advantage of the large investment opportunity in the livestock sector that would provide jobs.

According to him, as the population increases, there is a great opportunity for private investors in the country to tap into the livestock industry.

“We are projecting that should this project get the support of everybody and is implemented successfully, about two million jobs will be created in Nigeria.

“Nigeria is a land with large opportunity, the agriculture sector has huge opportunity and the livestock sector predominantly also has enormous opportunity because demands for meat and dairy products continually grows.

“Therefore, there is need for the livestock sector to radically transform to respond to the increasing demands for meat and dairy products,” he said.

The vice president further said that agriculture consistently contributed about 40 per cent to the country’s GDP, adding that the sector remained the largest contributor to non-oil growth.

He said that the Federal Government would soon begin training for Lagos State team on NLTP.

“The model of the programme is to work with the federal and state government in partnership with the livestock sector to be modernised.

“This will contribute largely to peace building in the county, reduce conflict resolution and move the sector from nomadic to mechanised ranching system.

“Lagos State Government has already indicated interest to be part of this programme. We will come in and train them on how to setup the NLTP in their state.

“We will work with them continuously. We are waiting for the next step and once we have conversation with them, probably in few months, we will start the training,” he said.

The vice president said that 22 states had already indicated interest, adding that the project had already started in Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau and Nasarawa.

Dr Mahmood Abubakar, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the major problem hindering the promotion and development of the livestock and aquaculture industry was none availability of parent stock, prime feeds and scarcity of fish fingerlings.

Abubakar, represented by Omolara Oguntuyi, Zonal Director, South-West, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, said that if an enabling environment was created, livestock and aquaculture production would play significant role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal to eradicate poverty and hunger.