News in Brief:
The World Bank and Nigeria’s federal agriculture ministry back Oyo state’s $500 million livestock value chain improvement project.
The World Bank and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAS) have commended Governor Seyi Makinde’s efforts to boost livestock production in Oyo state.
This endorsement came during a two-day stakeholder engagement organised by the World Bank Task Team and the National Coordinating Office of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES).
The project, a $500 million initiative by the World Bank being implemented by the FMAS, aims to improve productivity, commercialisation, and resilience within the livestock sector of Nigeria. The Oyo state engagement focused on the project’s implementation in the state.
Stakeholders were hosted by Dr. Debo Akande, Director General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) and Chairman of L-PRES in Oyo State, and Kola Kazeem, L-PRES State Project Coordinator. There was also a tour of Fashola Farm, a livestock production hub, which showcased the state government’s commitment to the initiative.
Livestock productivity and resilience support project scope and goals
Sanusi Abubakar, L-PRES National Project Coordinator, noted the project’s national scope, mentioning previous visits to Bauchi, Gombe, and Enugu states. He highlighted the urgency of implementation, driven by the mandate of the Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari.
Also, he stressed the project’s mission to support livestock production and development in the state. He described Fashola Farms as a model for other states, citing its unique setup within the Fashola Agribusiness Hub.
Debo Akande acknowledged Oyo state’s potential in livestock production and expressed L-PRES’s commitment to supporting the state government’s efforts across various livestock sectors, including cattle, poultry, and piggery. He reiterated the project’s aim to revitalise the state’s livestock industry and its positive impact on the agricultural value chain in the mid, short, and long term. Akande also assured stakeholders that the state government, with the support of L-PRES and the World Bank, would address the challenges faced by livestock farmers in Oyo State.
This initiative highlights a collaborative effort between the Oyo State government, the World Bank, and the FMAS to strengthen its livestock production sector. The project’s success hinges on addressing existing challenges and leveraging the potential identified by stakeholders.
