This indication emerged
Tuesday when the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr.
Akinwunmi Adesina called for competent regulations that would check the
consumption and sale of the product.
He said this at the 3rd joint
anniversary of Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASAN) and Nigeria
Institute of Animal Science held at the University of Ibadan.
If this is achieved, he noted that
livestock farmers would stand good chances of making high dollar return if the
hides and skins are tanned into leather.
The minister who was represented at
the occasion by the Director, Animal Production and Husbandry in the Ministry,
Dr. Ademola Raji, said, ”I also commend NIAS for its advocacy and public
enlightenment programs on Radio and Television that promote value addition in
Livestock, as against sale and consumption of primary products alone,
particularly with the issue of curtailing the widespread consumption of hides
and skins as Kpomo which ought to be tanned into leather for a very high dollar
return to the farmer and Tanneries.
I expect that competent regulations
acceptable by all stakeholders will be developed so as to give credibility that
our set standards for food safety are being implemented which will boost value
addition.”
The theme of the programme was
entitled, “Value Addition in the Nigerian Livestock Industry: A strategy for
Economic Growth and Stakeholders Empowerment”.
The minister stressed that FG would
continue to drive its Agricultural Transformation Agenda with increased vigour
in all its ramifications, pleading for continuous support and cooperation of
all stakeholders in the livestock sector to deliver the benefits.
He said,”I am confident that the
satisfactory production levels achieved in the poultry and swine segments will
soon stretch to reach other commodities such as beef, dairy, micro livestock
and animal by products such as leather, bones, hides and skins.
The drive to turn Agriculture into
business and not merely a way of life is now in full gear, with the use of
mobile phones and e- wallet for input distribution directly to farmers,
farmer’s registration with biometric identity cards and the Growth Enhancement
Support scheme.
We have all seen the revolution in Rice
production and processing; in cassava, sorghum and cotton that have increased
output per hectare, through the supply of high quality raw materials to revive
industries that have hitherto closed down.”
Food production, he said, rose in
2013 by 8 million metric tonnes over 2012 figures which represents over 70%
growth of the target set for 2015 by Government.
“In 2012, 264,000 hectares of dry
season paddy rice cultivated in the Northern states alone yielded 1.1 million
metric tonnes.” he added.
Speaking earlier, NIAS President,
Professor Placid Njoku, applauded the Federal government for tackling the
deadly Ebola virus disease, noting that the institute would encourage its
members to undertake visionary studies aimed at producing popular bush meat in
the country in ”intensive ,hygienic and Ebola disease free environment.”
Culled from the Vangaurd.
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