The Federal Government has expressed concern over the growing cost of animal feed and its impact on farmers’ survival.
Represented by the Director Special Duties, Mrs. Fausat Lawal, Umakhile indicated that the government was determined to promote innovative approaches to animal feed production to militate the challenges against the sector. According to him, the COVID-19 pandemic and vulnerability to natural disasters highlighted the urgency to further boost the nation’s food security.
Huge genetic resources developed over decades, key to adaptation to climate change and for livelihoods and incomes especially among pastoralists and small holders who produce over 80 to 90% of meat and milk. There were also huge losses for downstream processing and retailing businesses, many unable to service loans closed business.“
She sustained her position by positing that livestock assets contribute to food security and are an important source of protein and minerals for nutritional security, hence, the project seeking to engage with a wide range of stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of farmers to experiment with and use fodder technologies to make the sector more productive, resilient, equitable and sustainable.
The Nigeria RAFFS Project Inception Workshop, she posited, gives visibility to the RAFFS Project and importance of improving access to feed and fodder, and to participate in rolling out the in-country Assessment of the effect of the 3C crises Climate Change, Covid-19 and the Eastern Europe Conflict on Feed and Fodder and livestock sourced foods supply chains.