{"id":18299,"date":"2026-06-20T13:04:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T13:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/iita-and-ministry-of-livestock-development-forge-strategic-partnership-to-strengthen-nigerias-livestock-sector\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T16:48:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T16:48:55","slug":"iita-and-ministry-of-livestock-development-forge-strategic-partnership-to-strengthen-nigerias-livestock-sector","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/iita-and-ministry-of-livestock-development-forge-strategic-partnership-to-strengthen-nigerias-livestock-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"IITA and Ministry of Livestock Development forge strategic partnership to strengthen Nigeria\u2019s livestock sector"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IITA
IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui with the Permanent Secretary, Dr Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of strategic efforts to transform Nigeria\u2019s livestock and agricultural sector through research collaboration, innovation scaling, and capacity development, IITA<\/a>\u2013CGIAR<\/a> has reaffirmed commitment to support the Minist\u00e8re F\u00e9d\u00e9ral du D\u00e9veloppement de l'\u00c9levage (MFDE)<\/a>. The partnership aims to enhance feed and fodder production, promote youth engagement, empower women, and integrate the One Health approach to ensure a sustainable and productive livestock ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr Sim\u00e9on Ehui<\/a>, led a delegation to the Ministry in Abuja, where he met with the Permanent Secretary, Dr Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, and Directors from key departments. The discussions focused on aligning IITA\u2019s agricultural innovations and CGIAR\u2019s global research expertise with the Ministry\u2019s strategic objectives for livestock transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his remarks, Dr Ehui highlighted IITA and CGIAR\u2019s decades-long contributions to agricultural development across Africa, noting how research-driven technologies have improved productivity, livelihoods, and food systems. \u201cIITA remains deeply committed to supporting Nigeria\u2019s agricultural transformation agenda,\u201d he said. \u201cIITA and other CGIAR centers like the Institut international de recherche sur l'\u00e9levage (ILRI)<\/a> have developed a range of innovations that can help address challenges in feed systems, climate resilience, and animal health. What is critical now is scaling these technologies through partnerships that deliver real impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also underscored IITA\u2019s efforts to engage youth and create employment opportunities through agribusiness and research-led programs, calling for a technical session between IITA scientists and Ministry pillar leads to harmonize research priorities and develop an actionable roadmap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"IITA
IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui with the Permanent Secretary, Dr Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi during discussions<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Ehui added that the One Health approach\u2014which integrates animal, human, and environmental health\u2014should be a guiding principle for livestock development in Nigeria, ensuring a holistic and sustainable transformation of the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responding, Dr Akujobi welcomed the partnership and commended IITA\u2019s leadership in agricultural research. She explained that the Ministry is implementing a long-term livestock transformation framework designed to modernize the sector by improving production systems, empowering smallholders, and promoting inclusivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor Nigeria, livestock is central to our food security, economy, and employment generation goals,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are deliberate about integrating women and youth, targeting thousands of beneficiaries across selected states in the first phase of implementation. This partnership with IITA and CGIAR will help us strengthen our technical base and accelerate the achievement of our national targets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She emphasized that the Ministry\u2019s strategy prioritizes a shift from subsistence to intensive and sustainable livestock production, focusing on feed production, animal health, and value chain development to double productivity and improve market access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the meeting, several Directors from the Ministry made presentations on their focal areas and ongoing initiatives under the national livestock agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dr
Dr Simeon Ehui with the Permanent Secretary, Dr Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, the IITA team and staff of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From animal feed and fodder development to youth and gender, and conflict management and field operations, presentations outlined plans to boost local feed production, reduce import dependency, and establish fodder banks to support dry season feeding. Other areas addressed during the discussions focused on the Ministry\u2019s programs aimed at training and equipping women and youth in livestock value chains, including animal husbandry, processing, and entrepreneurship, including efforts to promote farmer-herder conflict resolution, emphasizing the importance of data, dialogue, and community-based models that foster peaceful coexistence and stability in livestock-producing areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These discussions highlighted opportunities for collaboration with IITA and CGIAR in women and youth engagement, forage research and feed formulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting concluded with a shared vision to explore formalizing collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IITA and the Ministry, focusing on joint research, capacity building, and technology scaling for livestock productivity and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Federal Ministry of Livestock Development looks forward to working closely with IITA and CGIAR to drive innovation, improve livelihoods, and ensure that Nigeria\u2019s livestock sector reaches its full potential,\u201d Dr Akujobi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Ehui reaffirmed IITA-CGIAR\u2019s commitment to supporting the government\u2019s livestock transformation agenda through science-based solutions. \u201cThis collaboration reflects our shared goal of ensuring that agricultural research directly contributes to national development priorities and a food-secure future for Africa,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contribu\u00e9 par \u2019Timilehin Osunde<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As part of strategic efforts to transform Nigeria\u2019s livestock and agricultural sector through research collaboration, innovation scaling, and capacity development, IITA-CGIAR has reaffirmed commitment to support the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD).<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":18300,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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