Abuja: The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) project has called for collaboration with the private sector to boost commercial livestock farming, increase productivity, and strengthen the resilience of targeted livestock production systems across Nigeria. Mr. Sanusi Abubakar, National Project Coordinator of L-PRES, made the call at the Value Chain Enhancement and Infrastructure Clinic for Effective Livestock Supply Chain and Market Orientation on Wednesday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Abubakar identified the Project Development Objective (PDO) as improving productivity, commercialisation, and resilience of targeted production systems in Nigeria, as well as strengthening resilience to climate change, environmental degradation, and farmer/herder conflicts. He emphasized the necessity of joining hands and sharing expertise with the private sector in livestock value chain enhancement and agribusiness, under the supervision of the Ministry of Livestock Development and World Bank Group.
Abubakar highlighted that L-PRES beneficiaries are being profiled in a detailed database and organized into organic clusters across various local governments in the 20 participating states to aid seamless implementation and achieve the PDO. The project supports six livestock value chains: beef, dairy, piggery, poultry, sheep and goat, hides and skin.
The national project coordinator noted the project’s deliberate inclusion of youth and women in livestock farming to bridge generational gaps. He stated that the primary aim of the L-PRES strategy is to form productive alliances, benefit from common facilities, and ensure a well-coordinated Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in investment across the Value Chain Hub (VCHs) and Livestock Service Centres (LSCs).
He explained that this approach would optimise the livestock supply chain, strengthen value chain market linkages, and support market development. Abubakar described the gathering as essential to addressing the core concerns of the project, which is crucial for the sustainability of livestock beneficiaries across participating states and the broader economic impact on the country.
Abubakar underscored that these objectives are achievable through livestock sector development and achieving the project’s result framework. The stakeholders’ engagement aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, aiming for food security through agribusiness and value addition.
He also noted the significance of packaging, cold-chain supply, branding, quality assurance, traceability, and export-driven strategies to earn foreign exchange. L-PRES aims to maximize opportunities provided by the African Continental Free-Trade Area (AfCFTA) to drive food security, economic growth, and job creation.
Mrs. Heather-Ronke Akanni, Livestock Value Chain Consultant for L-PRES, stated that the clinic would support livestock agribusiness across all 20 participating states, contributing to economic growth. She identified the project’s safety net as government-supported, demand-driven by beneficiaries, and sustainable in its execution. Akanni emphasized the orientation’s goal to enhance livestock value addition, engage youth and women, improve market opportunities, promote exports, and add value across all project value chains.