The Minister for Livestock Development, Alh. Idi Maiha has disclosed that the Federal Government as well as Qatar and Brazilian governments are interested in Livestock development in Benue State.
Maiha stated this on Friday in Makurdi during the 1st Benue Livestock Summit 2025.
The theme of the summit was “Re-imagining the Future of Livestock Production in Nigeria for Economic Growth and Self-Sufficiency.”
The Minister who noted the vast opportunities that abound in the State, said the trajectory for sustainable economic development of the State is in place and urged the state government to leverage on it by reawakening its Livestock sector.
Alh Maiha said while the establishment of the Livestock ministry was a clarion call to national transformation, several countries have already indicated interest including Qatar and Brazil in the 5 year developmental plans with Benue State being the first destination point.
“We intend to reactivate the grazing reserves and turn them to ranches with all amenities provided. We have asked all sub national to provide land for ranches.
“I have told the Governor to give 1000 hectare of land which the Qatari government is ready to pay. Brazil government is also interested in choice of land and Benue will benefit from this. In all these, we need peace and dialogue to achieve a lot.”
Declaring the 2-day summit open, State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia said the summit theme aligns directly with the Benue State Development Plan (BSDP) 2025–2034, which is anchored on actionable policies and strategic directions for Benue’s economic growth and self-sufficiency.
He said the livestock sector represents a vital and widely practiced component of agriculture that if properly harnessed and guided by sound policies, can transform the fortunes of farmers, citizens, Benue State, and Nigeria at large.
Alia appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development expressing confident that insights from the Summit will be well-articulated for the attention of the government, investors, and the livestock community in Nigeria and beyond.
He lamented that agriculture in Benue has been dominated by crop production, relegating livestock development, a situation he said has led to a lack of awareness and investment, despite its immense potential to combat food insecurity, generate wealth, and contribute significantly to the GDP.
He promised that his administration will change this narrative by elevating livestock development as a priority.
He described the involvement of Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, in the Summit as a testament to uncommon goodwill and solidarity and pledged to collaborate with the Ministry and private sector investors for livestock development in the state.
He said, “In 2025, we are adopting “Pasture as a Fodder Crop”, a strategic move to cultivate improved pasture that can be baled and sold to less-endowed regions with high livestock populations, particularly cattle and other ruminants.
“By the time farmers realize they can earn more from sown pasture than from traditional economic crops, Benue will become a hub for ruminant feed production, with potential impacts extending to exports. Achieving this requires investments in balers, improved pasture seeds, fencing materials, and modern equipment to ensure Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and safeguard farmland from encroachment.
Welcoming participants to the Summit, the Director General, Bureau of Livestock Development and Transboundary Animal Diseases Control, Dr Aondakaa Asambe said the summit is a milestone in the collective quest to reposition Nigeria’s livestock industry for economic growth and self-sufficiency.
He said the state government is committed to harnessing the vast potential of the livestock sector and transforming it into a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and food security.
He encouraged all to challenge traditional approaches and embrace innovative solutions, strengthen collaboration between government, the private sector, and international partners, and to develop concrete action plans that will drive sustainable livestock production in Nigeria and prioritize policies that improve the ease of doing business in the livestock sector.
