FG Scales Up Livestock Reforms, Targets Disease Surveillance, Waste-to-Wealth at COP31

The Federal Government of Nigeria is ramping up reforms in the livestock sector, focusing on disease surveillance, improved genetics, climate-smart practices and converting animal waste into energy and fertilizer, as announced by Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, during the COP31 conference in Antalya, Türkiye.

The government has identified over 20 operational models to address infrastructure and productivity issues across the sector. Key interventions include the establishment of cold storage facilities, pasture development, semen replication, and genetic improvement to enhance livestock quality and productivity. Maiha emphasized the importance of disease surveillance and local vaccine production to prevent costly outbreaks.

The ministry is also promoting a waste-to-wealth initiative, rehabilitating grazing reserves, and installing digital weather stations to monitor climate conditions. Additionally, biodigesters are being deployed in abattoirs to transform animal waste into biogas and organic fertilizer, reducing pollution and generating economic value.

These efforts are part of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) project, supported by the World Bank, aiming to enhance climate resilience and productivity in the sector. The project showcases Nigeria's climate interventions and seeks international partnerships for financing, technology, and capacity development.

Maiha highlighted the government's commitment to stakeholder participation, consulting about 24 pastoralist organizations to ensure local ownership of the initiatives, emphasizing dialogue and consensus in the implementation process.