By Kunle Harmony
The Director General, Nigeria Institute of Animal Science, Professor Eustace Iyayi has said, although Nigeria’s livestock industry is currently valued at N30 trillion, the country still suffers a 70 percent deficit.

The implication is that Nigeria’s livestock industry needs to increase in value to N100 trillion in order to be fully self-sufficient in the production of livestock he said in an interview with ThisNigeria.

According to Iyayi, Nigeria is grossly under producing because the country still imports 70 percent of her beef and 25 percent of poultry. “We consume about 1.3 million metric tons of milk annually and 60 percent of it is imported,” Iyayi said.

He said that the livestock industry in Nigeria could be valued at least N50 trillion over the next decade if all the right structures are put in place. Currently, according to him, the industry is worth at least N30 trillion.

He cited the right structures to include proper infrastructure for value chain development, expansion and sustenance, financing, research and development for new breeds, and capacity development of operators.
He also revealed that the industry is currently growing at an annual rate of 12.7 percent.

The current worth of the industry would therefore constitute approximately 20 percent of Nigeria’s GDP, and more than 30 percent at the rate of the 10 year projected figure against today’s GDP.

In spite of the impressive size, Professor Iyayi caveated that the industry in Nigeria is grossly under-producing.
He added the feeds industry alone, is a multi-billion naira industry. He also cited that the poultry subsector is N1.6 trillion. “We see the industry growing to a net worth of about N50 Trillion in the next decade if all the right structures are put in place,” Iyayi stressed.

According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), with the current growth level in the industry, the national cattle herd is expected to double to 37 million heads by 2050. The commercial sector will have experienced the biggest expansion then.

Currently, importation of food amounts up to 3-5 billion USD per year, out of which milk accounts for 1.3 billion USD. Including net trade, the per capita food supply of animal source foods is 8 litres of milk, 9 kg of meat and 3.5 kg or 55 eggs per year. Consumption levels of milk and meat are lower than the continental averages that are 44 litres and 19 kg, respectively.

In charting the way forward to actualize the growth potential of the livestock industry, Professor Iyayi said “the first step to increased production is to improve on the breeds of our animals so as to maximize their genetic potential. Second, is to adopt ranching for our beef and dairy cows. Rearing them in confinement will lead to their improved productivity,” he stressed.

“Third is for livestock producers to also be incentivized in terms of input subsidy. Fourth is to develop the value chains for the poultry and livestock species. This way people will see livestock production as agribusiness, leading to expansion of markets and business opportunities in the subsector.

Asked what ready markets are there for Nigerian livestock exports when she becomes self-sufficient, Iyayi said “For some of the products, we are already exporting. Our eggs are exported to several sub-regional countries, especially up north.

“With the efforts of the institute and other relevant stakeholders our feed producers now have a registered association known as the Feed Industry Practitioners Association of Nigeria (FIPAN). FIPAN is registered with the International Feed Industry Foundation (IFIF) of the FAO. Coupled with our regulatory activities, our goal is to have a formidable feed sub-sector that can export feed to the global market very soon.

For other commodities such as poultry meat, beef, milk, hides, and skin much work needs to be done first to satisfy the internal market before export.

“Our institute is already facilitating this by using a regulatory model that is helping to upscale businesses in the feed, hatchery and poultry sub-sectors through maintaining international best practices. This is being expanded to other sectors of the livestock industry as well. We also engage the relevant stakeholders to know their challenges and how best to help overcome such.”

Iyayi however admitted that the institute faces some problems in driving the optimal growth of Nigeria’s livestock industry. “We face the limitation of funding.

The federal government is trying her best, but needed and relevant activities always run ahead of funds. To support government efforts we collaborate with sister agencies and development partners in order to reduce cost of operation. We also have the limitation of a non-existent breeding policy for our poultry and livestock.

Without improved breed there is nothing much that can be achieved. Currently a policy has been developed. It is a process of being presented to the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for possible approval by the Federal Executive Council.”

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Professor Iyayi said the institute is working in close coordination with the National Agency for Food Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC), as well as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to improve the standards of Nigeria’s food production to international standard.

The Nigerian Institute of Animal Science was established by the National Assembly Act No. 26 of 2007 under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as a regulatory agency for Animal Science practice with powers to regulate all matters pertaining to Animal husbandry in Nigeria.

He added that as part of the institute’s mandate, they regulate the activities of the producers, the students at the various universities where trainers are trained, as well as the farmers who produce livestock.