The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fully operationalise the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, warning that inadequate funding and an incomplete administrative structure are limiting the ministry’s capacity to deliver on its mandate.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the National President of the association, Hon. Khalil Bello, commended President Tinubu for establishing the Presidential Livestock Reform Committee and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development, describing the initiative as a landmark reform that has renewed hope among millions of pastoralists nationwide.
KACRAN also applauded the appointment of Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha as Minister of Livestock Development, noting that his nationwide consultations with stakeholders had inspired nearly 20 states to establish corresponding ministries to promote livestock development at the sub-national level.
According to the association, the creation of the ministry demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to reducing Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported meat, milk and other livestock products, which it said costs the country billions of dollars annually.
However, KACRAN expressed concern that more than a year after its establishment, the ministry has yet to operate as a fully independent institution, alleging that it still functions largely as a directorate under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
The association argued that granting the ministry full administrative and operational autonomy would significantly enhance food security, stimulate job creation, strengthen the livestock value chain, attract local and foreign investment, reduce farmer-herder conflicts through improved livestock management and cut Nigeria’s growing import bill for livestock products.
It therefore called on President Tinubu to provide adequate funding for both the Presidential Livestock Reform Committee and the Ministry of Livestock Development, secure permanent office accommodation for the ministry and equip it with the personnel, infrastructure and financial resources required to implement policies capable of transforming the livestock sector.
KACRAN maintained that a fully functional ministry would enable pastoralists and other stakeholders across the livestock value chain to make greater contributions to national food security, economic diversification and sustainable economic development.
The association also commended the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) project for providing security support, water points and other critical interventions for pastoralist communities, urging both organisations to sustain and expand their programmes to improve the livelihoods of livestock producers across the country.
