In an attempt to reduce cost of production and effects of incessant price volatility in the animal feed industry, the federal government and development partners have proffered a roadmap for National Alternative Feed resources

This was revealed by the Honorable Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar at the second National Animal Feed Summit held in Abuja recently. 

Abubakar mentioned that the summit with the theme Harnessing Alternative Feed Resources for Sustainable Animal Feed Supply aligned with the aspirations and agenda of the Federal Government. He also pointed out that the role of animal feed in Nigeria’s Agriculture sector was critical as it would provide essential nutrients and support for livestock and production.

Speaking further, the Minister stated that to meet the increasing demand for animal feed in Nigeria, there was need for innovation and technology to develop sustainable and efficient production methods which would support small scale and rural communities. He therefore charged stakeholders to deliberate on a single platform, strategies and come up with robust implementable National Animal Feed policy.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ernest Umakhihe, stated that the feed sector had the potential to engage more than 20 million Nigerians, as the industry was yet to reach 25% of its market size. He further noted that Nigeria’s animal feed sector remained underdeveloped, due to high cost of ingredients and other production factors, which resulted in market dislocation and hampered access to products, thereby barring an average farmer out of the supply net. These challenges have necessitated the need for the National Animal Feed Summit, he added.

“As we gather here today, we must leverage our comparative advantage to proffering solutions to the challenges in the Animal Feed. As we continue to experience the impact of climate change in Agriculture activities, we need to explore sustainable practices in animal feed production to guarantee farmers access to affordable feed all year round,” said managing partner of Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition, Temi Adegoroye.