The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Funds (Tetfund), Professor Suleiman Bogoro has pledged to support universities in Nigeria to deepen research and development in the aspect of animal production to ensure food security, sufficiency and improve the value chain of the industry.
Professor Suleiman Bogoro gave the hint during the the 45th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Society for Animal Production with the theme ‘Animal Agriculture: Exploring the Goldmine of Nigeria’s Agro Revolution’ which took place in Bauchi on Monday.
Bogoro who said already a diary research and development institute has been established at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi argued that the North East of Nigeria houses the largest livestock in the country, hence the need to improve the sector to attain food sufficiency and security in Nigeria.
Bogoro said universities in the region could play an important role in deepening research in the aspect of animal production to support the federal government’s drive to attain food sufficiency in the country.
He said TetFund will continue to funds innovative agricultural drive, which he says will compliment government efforts to improve the sector.
In a key note address, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono who described Animal Agriculture as an essential source of livelihood for millions of people, said concerted effort in harnessing it to boost the socioeconomic status of the citizenry needs to be put in place.
Represented by a Bauchi State Director of the Ministry, the Minister expressed confidence that with professional harmony, the challenges bedeviling the livestock sub sector in the country will be addressed.
According to him, the projected growth in Nigeria’s population requires deliberate efforts to drive food sufficiency and livestock’s driven economy to sustain the evolving population.
Alhaji Sabo Nanono said livestock production and productivity has to increase commensurably in quantity and quality by about 60 percent in order to satisfy the expected huge demand for animal protein and other livestock products.
On his part, the President, Nigerian Society for Animal Production, Professor Augustine Ogbonna said the society in pursuance of her objectives, has continued to provide forum to discuss issues relating to the promotion of all aspects of animal production in the country, noting that, in every annual conference, through its resolutions, the society has influenced government policies affecting animal production.
Professor Augustine Ogbonna who said the theme of the conference was based on the understanding that Animal Production holds great potential to the country’s economy that has been oil dependent, stressed the need for stakeholders in the livestock sector to join hands together to accelerate the development of the industry.
