Ibadan: Alhaji Idris Ajimobi, the Special Adviser on Livestock Development to President Bola Tinubu, has assured Nigerians that the country’s livestock reforms are progressing as planned. Ajimobi emphasized the need for unity, increased stakeholder engagement, and public awareness to ensure the successful implementation of these reforms.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Ajimobi highlighted that a significant portion of the Livestock Ministry’s efforts is focused on addressing and reducing the persistent conflicts between farmers and herders across the nation. He attributed these clashes to the scarcity of clean water and food for livestock.
Ajimobi, the son of the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, stated that the ministry is actively involving all stakeholders, having learned from previous failures due to exclusion and poor coordination. He revealed that Nigeria possesses over a hundred grazing reserves, with only the recently launched reserve in Niger currently operational.
While acknowledging that some reserves have become uninhabitable and require substantial intervention, Ajimobi expressed the government’s commitment to revitalizing all of them. He mentioned ongoing discussions with local and international partners to rejuvenate at least three grazing reserves within the next 18 months.
The ministry also aims to enhance local dairy and beef production to reduce import dependence, with an ambitious goal of providing a pack of milk and an egg per day for every child. Ajimobi stressed the importance of educating Nigerians about the economic potential of livestock, extending beyond just meat and milk, and lamented the squandered opportunities in cow by-products.
Ajimobi urged patience among Nigerians as the Tinubu-led administration implements reforms, promising that these efforts will eventually result in a fairer system benefiting a broader population. He also encouraged farmers to form cooperatives for increased impact, emphasizing that unity among them would render them unstoppable.
Despite expressing a future desire to serve the people of Oyo State and Nigeria, Ajimobi remains focused on his current role under President Tinubu, aiming to deliver a thriving livestock sector.
