For a government that says it wants to cut down the cost of governance, it was surprising to many analysts when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hinted at his intention to establish the Ministry of Livestock Development on Tuesday. It is one of its solutions to address the challenges in the livestock sector

President Tinubu disclosed this at the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities that benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain.

Some analysts have, however, dubbed the new ministry a calculation to appease the Hausa-Fulani population in northern Nigeria. There has been no clear national policy on open grazing, which has been a source of herders-farmers clashes in several parts of the country in recent years.

However, there is growing tension in the agricultural produce sector where the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) has opposed the federal government’s decision to suspend duties, tariffs, and taxes on rice imports, describing the policy as detrimental to local rice cultivation.

According to the association, the 150-day Duty-Free Import Window for essential food items, including rice, will give an unfair advantage to importers and hurt local rice farmers.
In its bid to fight food insecurity, the federal government announced the removal of tariffs on rice importation, and other grains including maize, cowpea, and wheat.

On the livestock sector, the President who appointed former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, as Co-Chairman of the Committee emphasized that the implementation of the reforms will require the collective efforts of members of the committee, drawn from the public and private sectors, state governors, and all Nigerians.

“From here, I will appeal to everyone to remove every iota of partisan politics from this. I will assume the chairmanship of the committee as President and appoint Professor Attahiru Jega as my deputy or co-chair. “This is not about politics; this is about opportunity. This is about our nation. While I may be absent, Jega will preside and continue to promote our objectives”.

“With the calibre of people that are here, this presents a unique opportunity also to delineate and establish a centric ministry called the Ministry of Livestock Development. It will give us the opportunity so that our veterinary doctors can have the necessary access to research and cross-breed. We can stop the wanton killings,’’ President Tinubu stated.

The creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development is also seen by some Nigerians as a long-overdue step. Nigeria’s livestock sector, which includes cattle, poultry, and fisheries, contributes significantly to the nation’s GDP and employs millions. However, it has been plagued by issues such as poor infrastructure, inadequate funding, and frequent clashes between farmers and herders.

The Buhari administration, in its attempt to solve the frequent clashes, introduced the Ruga Gracing Area (Ruga) policy which means: ‘human settlement policy’. It is a policy intended to reduce herder-farmer conflicts in Nigeria. It is aimed at resolving the conflict between nomadic Fulani herdsmen and sedentary farmers. The policy, which is currently suspended, according to the Buhari administration, would: “create reserved communities where herders will live, grow and tend their cattle, produce milk and undertake other activities associated with the cattle business without having to move around in search of grazing land for their cows”.

In 2018, the journey for the replacement of open grazing with ranching started when the federal government launched a 10-year National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) and 10 states – Adamawa, Benue, Ebonyi, Edo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba, and Zamfara was identified as frontline states that would serve as pilot states.

The Buhari government, however, released N 6.5 billion to kickstart the cattle ranching project with Katsina state serving as the pilot scheme and receiving five billion naira. But a good number of Nigerians kicked against the project describing cattle rearing as a private business. Some state governors also felt that just like other businessmen and women would buy land to develop their businesses, cattle rearers should buy land for their businesses. They, as the Constitutional recognized authority over land in their states also declined to allocate land to herders.

Eight months ago, Vice President Kashim Shettima announced plans by the President Tinubu administration to ” unveil an initiative to address insurgency and poverty among other challenges confronting Nigerians, especially those living in the Northern region”.

Disclosing a committee for the introduction of Pulaka settlement which he described as”a national commitment to confront a threat that has fueled distrust and conflicts within communities and across the boundaries of our federation, Vice President Shettima said the Committee is chaired by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Alhaji Ahmed Dangiwa.

“We believe that a dedicated ministry will streamline efforts to modernize livestock farming, improve productivity, and resolve conflicts,” said a Senior Official in the Ministry of Agriculture who sought anonymity. “Our focus will be on sustainable practices, disease control, and enhancing value chains to benefit both producers and consumers”, he stressed.

Despite the positive outlook, the establishment of the new ministry has not been without controversy. Critics argue that the creation of yet another government body may not address the underlying issues facing the livestock sector. Some have labeled the move as “motion without movement,” suggesting that without concrete action, the new ministry may only add to bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Some Nigerians queried the thinkers in the administration over the creation of a separate ministry for Livestock Development when the same government had given directives for the merger and scrapping of some Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.

On 26 February 2024, President Tinubu ordered the full implementation of the Oronsaye report which recommended the merging, subsuming, scraping, and relocation of several agencies of government.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja said: “So in a very bold move today, this administration, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, consistent again with his courage to take very far-reaching decisions in the interest of Nigeria, has decided to implement the so-called Oronsaye Report.⁣

“Now, what that means is that several agencies, commissions, and some departments have been scrapped. Some have been modified, and marked while others have been subsumed. Others, of course, have also been moved from some ministries to others where the government feels they will operate better,” the Minister stressed.

Special Adviser on Policy Coordination, Mrs Hadiza Bala-Usman to the President said the President constituted a committee to implement the mergers, scrapping, and relocations within 12 weeks.

The Oronsaye report on public sector reforms which was submitted to the President Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2012 revealed that there are 541 statutory and non-statutory —Federal Government parastatals, commissions, and agencies. The Tinubu government had revisited the report with a promise to implement it but all has gone quiet since.⁣

“Nigeria has a history of forming new agencies without significant improvements in service delivery,” said an agricultural economist in the Ministry of Agriculture who sought anonymity. “What the livestock sector needs are practical solutions and effective implementation of existing policies, not just another layer of administration”, he stressed.

One of the primary challenges the new ministry will face is the ongoing conflict between farmers and herders, which has led to the loss of lives and property. The government has indicated that the Ministry of Livestock will work closely with security agencies and community leaders to develop lasting solutions to these clashes.

The livestock sector has the potential to significantly boost Nigeria’s economy if properly managed. The Ministry of Livestock aims to attract investment, enhance export opportunities, and improve the overall quality of livestock products. However, achieving these goals will require overcoming significant hurdles, including corruption, political interference, and logistical challenges.

“We are hopeful but cautious,” said Fatima Ibrahim, a poultry farmer in ACO/AMAC Estate, Abuja. “If the ministry can cut through the red tape and deliver on its promises, it could transform our livelihoods. But we’ve heard grand plans before that never materialized.”

The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock marks a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s agricultural sector. Whether it will lead to substantial progress or become another example of “motion without movement” remains to be seen. The coming months will be crucial as the new ministry begins to implement its agenda and strives to make a tangible impact on the lives of millions who depend on livestock farming.

For now, stakeholders are watching closely, hoping that this initiative will bring about the much-needed change and development in Nigeria’s livestock industry.

Rice Farmers
RIFAN Lagos State Chairman, Raphael Hunsa, urged the government to empower local rice farmers instead of encouraging more rice imports, stating. ”This policy is not beneficial to local rice farmers at all. It means the government is encouraging more rice imports at the detriment of our local rice,” he said.

Hunsa also accused the government of neglecting local farmers in policy formulation, saying that if other countries did not support their farmers, they would not be able to produce enough to export.

The association therefore called on the government to reconsider the policy and support local rice farmers instead. “We believe some groups of persons have confused and advised this government wrongly on this policy. Rice farmers are not happy about this policy, we are disadvantaged by it,” Hunsa said.

Speaking on the policy, an agriculture communication expert, Ismail Olawale, described the policy as elitist, saying it will benefit wealthy businessmen to import rice, arguing that local farmers are often ignored in policy formulation due to internal politics.