Livestock Farmers Urge Federal Government to Address Climate Change Impact on Sector

Stakeholders in Nigeria's livestock industry have called on the federal government to take urgent action against the effects of climate change, which they say is threatening productivity and the nation's meat supply.

The appeal was made on Wednesday during the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Stakeholders' Engagement Plan Validation Workshop held in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The event, organised by Ondo L-PRES in collaboration with the Federal Government, Ondo State Government, Global Peace Development and the World Bank, drew participants from federal and state institutions, local government authorities, traditional and religious leaders, livestock producers, crop farmers, private sector representatives and other relevant groups.

Participants identified extreme weather events, prolonged droughts and rising feed costs as major challenges that have reduced livestock productivity and affected animal performance under increasingly harsh environmental conditions.

Executive Director of Global Peace Development, Ebruke Onajite Esike, who spoke at the forum, called on government to implement climate-smart strategies that would serve the interests of both crop farmers and pastoralists.

"Government can invest in water containment from upper to lower catchment areas and use the water for climate-smart initiatives that are mutually beneficial for farmers and herders," Esike stated. "This will allow both sides to cultivate and use pastures in ways that support each other, whether as crop farmers or pastoralists."

He explained that the validation workshop was designed to strengthen outcomes from a previous stakeholders' roundtable discussion held in Akure on February 4.

"The essence of this stakeholders' engagement plan validation workshop in Ondo State is to validate the roundtable discussion we held earlier because we intend to develop a stakeholder engagement plan for the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project," he said.

"After this gathering, we will review the documents and data collected from the roundtable discussions and field surveys so that they can guide future interventions."

Addressing the recurring conflicts between farmers and herders, Esike recommended practical measures to reduce tensions and improve monitoring of cattle movement.

"For me, one solution is to reduce or ban night grazing and stop underage grazing so that cattle do not stray into farmlands," he suggested. "Unmanned forests should be secured by trained civilians working alongside security agencies. This will reduce tension and also support data collection on cattle movement in and out of communities."

He further recommended that government establish structured resting points for herders, noting that traditional cattle routes have been compromised by development and population growth.

"Government should create new infrastructure where herders can rest, but not free of charge. Those who use such facilities should pay for the services, since resources will be deployed to manage them," he added.

State Chairman of the Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Fadipe Olawande, also addressed the gathering, highlighting how climate change has increased production costs and weakened poultry output across Ondo State.

He called for improved access to affordable feed and the adoption of climate-resilient farming techniques to help poultry farmers adapt to the changing environment.

State Programme Coordinator of L-PRES, Olufemi Adeogun, disclosed that the project has delivered significant interventions in animal health across all 18 local government areas of Ondo State.

"Our interventions have focused on improving animal health and building resilience among livestock farmers across the state," Adeogun said, adding that the project would continue to align its strategies with climate adaptation goals.

In his remarks, Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Olaleye Akinola, represented by Mrs. Gladys Adeduba, described the engagement as timely. He stressed that sustainable livestock development can only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace and cooperation among all stakeholders.