FG to Establish Cattle Breeding Centres Across Six Geopolitical Zones
In a strategic move to modernize livestock production and bolster food security, the Federal Government has announced plans to establish cattle breeding centres in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, made the disclosure on Tuesday during the Citizens-Government Engagement and Midterm Performance Assessment of the Tinubu administration, held in Kaduna. The event was organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation. According to Abdullahi, the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and aims to transition Nigeria’s livestock sector from subsistence-based methods to structured, technology-driven practices. He noted that the new centres would serve as regional livestock hubs to enhance meat and dairy output while reducing tensions between farmers and herders. Read Also: Fixing the Forgotten Crisis: Solutions to Nigeria’s Herders-Farmers Conflict “The synergy among the ministries of agriculture, environment, water resources, livestock development, and marine and blue economy is crucial for achieving this national goal,” Abdullahi stated. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who also attended the event, shared updates about the programme on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle. He described the breeding centres as a cornerstone in the administration’s efforts to reform agricultural production and promote sustainable livelihoods. The Federal Government believes the project will help curb farmer-herder conflicts, improve yields, and contribute meaningfully to national food sufficiency targets. The initiative follows concerns raised earlier in April by the National Economic Council (NEC), which described Nigeria’s current livestock rearing practices as outdated and unsustainable. The council had called for urgent reforms, citing escalating violence in parts of the country—including Benue, Plateau, and Kwara states—where farmer-herder clashes have resulted in loss of lives and property. Briefing State House Correspondents after the NEC meeting, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, stressed the need for a complete overhaul of the sector. “We cannot continue to live in the past. The time has come to embrace modern livestock production in Nigeria,” Diri stated. The cattle breeding centres are expected to form part of a broader roadmap toward achieving food security and rural development across Nigeria.
