August 2, 2024
Enugu, Nigeria targets US$60 million in revenue from livestock production
The Governor of Enugu State, Nigeria, Peter Mbah, has announced plans to generate over NGN 100 billion (US$60 million) from livestock production and processing, Punch reported.
This initiative is expected to stimulate economic growth, enhance farmers' capacities in animal husbandry, and strengthen the agricultural sector's value chain in the state.
Governor Mbah made this announcement while welcoming a delegation from the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), led by National Project Coordinator Sanusi Abubakar. The delegation was in Enugu to inaugurate the first Model Veterinary Hospital.
Mbah expressed his enthusiasm for the establishment of the veterinary hospital, highlighting the state's focus on expanding meat and dairy production for local and external markets. He noted that the recently enacted Enugu State Ranch Management Agency Law aims to unlock economic opportunities, create employment in the livestock sector, and increase the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from US$4.4 billion to US$30 billion.
"We saw that we needed to start putting in a robust policy or a legal framework that can support these policies. We are aware that Enugu has a market size of over NGN 100 billion (US$60 million), and we are quite ambitious in the growth projection of our GDP," Mbah stated.
The governor emphasised the frameworks the administration has established to unlock the sector's economic potential. He assured that the state has the capacity to produce sufficient meat and dairy products for export, necessitating skills in processing and packaging.
Mbah called on investors to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the new ranch law, the veterinary hospital, and the partnership between the state and L-PRES. He assured investors that the security of lives, property, and investments would be maintained.
Earlier, Sanusi Abubakar informed the governor that the L-PRES delegation was in Enugu to inspect the site and commence the hospital's construction. He stated that the hospital would conduct disease surveillance, maintain healthy animal husbandry, provide disease eradication services, and vaccinate animals.
- Punch