Federal Gov’t Launches Anti-cattle Rustling Initiative In Kwara

The Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday hailed President Bola Tinubu for taking various bold steps to develop livestock and end perennial herders/ farmers clashes across the country.

The governor described the recent inauguration of Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee by the Federal Government and move to establish a ministry for livestock development as historic efforts to transform agricultural landscape and enhance food security in a sustainable way.

AbdulRazaq stated this in Ilorin, the state capital at the launch of the National Animal Identification Traceability System (NAITS).

“About 24 hours ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the committee on the implementation of livestock reforms along with a historic plan to establish the Ministry of Livestock Development. This announcement has expectedly sparked national excitement around the future of livestock value chains and the potential to end the perennial clashes between herders and farmers.

“We thank Mr. President for these historic steps and we are confident that all stakeholders will rally round the President to achieve this,” the governor said.

Represented by Senior Advisor/Counselor, Alh Sa’adu Salahu, the Governor thanked the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari and his team for the hard work to transform the agricultural sector for economic diversification, adding that this serves as a model for his government in the state.

“This explains why our administration in Kwara State has paid good attention to the livestock sub sector, as is evident with our participation in the LPRES, SAPZ programmes and our FASEP partnership with the French Government.

“Our investment is driven by the fact that most of the rural populace have one or two types of livestock which act as an economic buffer and a source of emergency exchange for cash.

“Our aim is to ensure that our small holding livestock farmers become commercially oriented so that they can respond to the growing demand for quality food from urban centres, the realities of climate change, and the fluctuating global economy. This will also ensure that their families have adequate supply of animal proteins and enjoy improved livelihood,” the governor said.

AbdulRazaq pledged to support the agricultural initiative by facilitating the construction and equipping of the Kwara NAITS Centre through the LPRESS, and solicited for more collaborations with the Federal Government, particularly in developing irrigation for all-year farming and agricultural mechanisation.

In his remarks, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi said NAITS is part of the National Livestock Transformation Programmes of Tinubu’s administration that seek to reduce cattle rustling and farmers-herders clashes, as well as engendering peaceful coexistence in the country.

Senator Abdullahi added that the Federal Government is working tirelessly to develop livestock transformation that would satisfy local demands and the exportation to foreign countries.

He praised Governor AbdulRazaq for his sincere commitment to develop agriculture in the state.