CBN to support herdsmen, others in meat, fish, poultry production

 

• Frowns at Nigeria’s spending of $1.5 billion in milk importation

 

BY EMMANUEL OGWU

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will support and integrate small holders, subsistent and nomadic herdsmen through its Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) to boost livestock production.

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele disclosed this at the briefing of some state Governors on the feat recorded in agriculture sector in Abuja on Thursday.

Emefiele decried Nigeria’s spending of about 1.5 billion Dollars yearly on dairy production importation such as milk, yogurt, cheese and other milk derivatives.

In the same vein, the CBN governor said about 1.2 billion Dollars is spent in the importation of fish into the country annually.

He explained that current fish production stood at 0.8 million tons while the demand was 2.7 million tons, giving a deficit of 1.9 million tons.

He said the apex bank’s current initiative was to engage the coastal state governors to develop the blue economy to address the deficit of 1.9metric tons as well as eradicate the huge import bill for fish.

He said the initiative would be a very huge economic opportunity for the states to create an enabling environment for investors.

Emefiele said that over 95 per cent of milk products consumed in the country was imported, adding that the apex bank was determined to change this narrative.

“We are also aware of the fact that 85 per cent of Nigeria’s cattle, estimated at over 20 million, are owned and managed by small holder, subsistent and nomadic herdsmen who require to be integrated in the scheme of things and be supported by the bank under the ABP.

“The dairy industry had huge potentials such as the creation of millions of jobs and forex savings. In addition, the sector has an undeveloped meat processing infrastructure, declining tannery operations.

“Others are inadequate large-scale private investments in cold storage and transportation, and insecurity arising mostly from pastoralists and farmers clashes, rustling, and other socio-economic challenges,” the CBN governor explained.

He noted that the bank’s flagship partnership on livestock development initiative had commenced in Niger State, adding that out of its 26 Grazing Reserves, the state chose Bobi Grazing Reserve for the project.

Bobi reserve is situated in Mariga LGA with land area of 31,000 hectares, accommodating about 700 families with 300,000 heads of cattle.

The governor disclosed that as at today, four companies had expressed interest to invest in the Bobi Grazing Reserve in Niger State.

According to him, FrieslandCampina WAMCO and Neon Agro agreed to take 10,000 hectares of land each; Chi Limited and Irish Dairy are to develop 4,000 hectares each while the State Government retained the remaining 3,000 hectares for its development programmes.

“As at Tuesday 18th September, 2019 FrieslandCampina WAMCO has cleared a total land area of 695 hectares with 190 hectares already planted with pasture.

“The company also completed a hydroponic centre and solar powered borehole while its Milk Collection Centre is awaiting the installation of equipment and Chi Limited has also signed contracts for the clearing and planting of pasture on its allocated 4,000 hectares,” he said.

Emefiele said in Kaduna State, Arla Group had existing projects in Damau, Amana, NAPRI Shika and Kagarko and under the bank’s livestock initiative, the company had committed to invest N12 billion to develop 6,000 hectares of land in Damau Grazing Reserve.

According to him, Arla is currently refurbishing a milk processing plant and will soon commence milk off-take from 600 farmers in Kagarko.

He said Promasidor Group had been granted consent to develop the 500 hectares at Ikun Dairy Farm Project in Ekiti State while the company had commenced work on the site with deployment of 20 tractors for land preparations as the planting of pasture would commence thereafter.

In a similar development, the governor said that major innovation to deepen the poultry business was the recent partnership between the bank and tertiary institutions to pilot the “The University-based Poultry Production Programme” in 12 universities across the six geo-political zones.

“For the pilot phase, five Nigerian Universities, namely; Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, University of Nigeria, Nsukka and University of Ilorin were enrolled,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governors of Ekiti, Adamawa, Lagos, Ogun, Benue, Zamfara, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Bauchi, Gombe, Katsina, Anambra, Imo, Edo, and Borno states attended the meeting.