By Emmanuel Dominic 
Empowering Youth Through Livestock: FG Rolls Out New Nationwide Program
The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a nationwide livestock empowerment programme aimed at recruiting 37,000 youths—1,000 from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory—into the livestock farming sector. This initiative is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidential Initiative on Youths and Livestock Development, designed to boost food security, create employment, and modernize livestock production across the country.
Announced by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, during a meeting with executives from Brazil’s JBS S.A. Group in Abuja, the programme will provide selected participants with training, capacity building, and access to financial institutions and input sources. The focus areas include pasture cultivation, livestock breeding, and disease control. State governments have pledged to provide land for the project, while the federal government will supply seedlings and other necessary resources.
The programme also incorporates advanced breeding techniques such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer to improve livestock breeds. Additionally, it includes measures to control diseases like swine fever and anthrax, which have adversely affected livestock productivity in the past.
This initiative aligns with the government’s broader efforts to transform the livestock sector, reduce reliance on imports, and address challenges related to open grazing by promoting controlled ranching systems. It is expected to significantly contribute to the nation’s economic growth and food security.
