Last year (on July 9, 2024), the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee was inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the goal of reforming Nigeria’s livestock subsector, which is projected to be worth N33 trillion but contributes less than 3% of the country’s annual GDP.

With Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega serving as co-chairman and 23 other experts, the president himself leads the presidential committee, which has been given 16 Terms of Reference (ToRs) to implement reforms to modernise the sector and fortify institutional mechanisms.

The “Inception Report” of the Jega committee made a number of practical recommendations for revitalising the livestock sector along the entire value chain.

On poultry, which the report estimates to number around 563 million birds, the committee suggested that the federal government provide “technical and input support to 185,000 smallholder poultry farmers and support rehabilitation of commercial cluster egg processing facilities.”

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In addition, it suggested that 550,000 producers and commercial organisations receive further assistance in the form of materials and ancillaries to rebuild and set up climate-smart poultry buildings.  

This brings the number of farmers and producers recommended for support to 735,000.

The paper calls for the preservation of better indigenous poultry species as well as the restoration of cottage poultry meat production and storage facilities.

The committee stated that in order to advance the industry, the government must encourage the commercialisation of improved poultry breeds, such as the Shika Brown developed by the National Animal Production Research Institute in Shika, Zaria, Kaduna State; the Noiler developed by Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Ltd; and FUNAAB ALPHA developed by the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Other breeds include Sasso and Kroiler, which are the genetically improved dual-purpose chicken for the production of more meat and eggs developed by the Sasso in France and Keggfarms Group in India, respectively. 

Tested in Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, these strains are thought to perform rather well in rural, smallholder semi-scavenging environments.

In addition to developing poultry out-grower schemes, prototype animal waste treatment facilities should be rehabilitated, built, and equipped, as well as solar-powered boreholes and lights installed in climate-smart poultry homes and hatchery units.

The report also calls for the promotion and increase of the production of ostriches, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowls, quails, and pigeons.

It states that a framework is required to increase the ability of value chain players to provide high-quality breeds, health services, and nutrient-dense feed as national policy and priorities shift towards intensive non-ruminant farming.

These “are areas with tremendous economic potential for technology adoption, wealth, and job creation, especially for the youth,” according to the report.

“The mechanism should attract private sector investment for commercial animal inputs production, especially in areas of breed, feed and health. Opportunities abound for such private producers to develop businesses along the value chains.

“A government-led initiative is therefore needed to address these fundamental requirements and associated factors that include capacity building of traditional producers to adopt innovative technology and intensive production systems, record keeping for selection, and economic evaluation, amongst others,” it noted.

 

A poultry research institute needed

It also recommended establishing a poultry research institute as one of eight new research institutes, as well as upgrading the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) and the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI).

The other seven new institutes recommended in addition to poultry research are: Beef and Dairy Research Institute, Sheep and Goats Research Institute, Swine and Micro livestock Research Institute, Feed and Grassland Research Institute, National Animal Diseases Vaccines and Biologicals Production, National Animal Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory and Genetic Resources Research Institute.