The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, plans to end the export of livestock in its raw form and instead focus on local meat processing as part of efforts to create jobs, increase earnings for livestock farmers and strengthen the state’s economy.
Mr Radda disclosed this on Saturday at the North-West Agriculture and Livestock Stakeholders’ Symposium held in Katsina, where government officials, livestock traders, transporters, development partners and security stakeholders gathered to discuss challenges and opportunities in the region’s agricultural sector.
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The governor said the policy forms part of broader efforts to transform agriculture and livestock development into drivers of economic growth and poverty reduction across Katsina and the wider North-west region.
“We are committed to ending the practice of exporting livestock in raw form. Our focus is to process meat locally, create jobs for our young people, strengthen the local economy, and improve the earnings of livestock farmers through value addition,” Mr Radda said.
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The governor said the state was already constructing a modern slaughterhouse to improve meat-processing standards, hygiene, and value addition in the livestock sector.
Agriculture key to tackling poverty
Mr Radda described agriculture and livestock as critical sectors for food security, employment generation, and economic development, arguing that improving agricultural productivity remains one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty in the North-west.
“If we must effectively tackle poverty in the North-West, agricultural productivity must be significantly improved,” he said.
He identified insecurity, poor transportation infrastructure, weak market systems, climate-related challenges and limited access to finance as major obstacles confronting the sector.
According to him, the state government is responding through market upgrades, livestock development initiatives, agricultural support programmes and partnerships with private investors and development organisations.
The governor said the state’s ward-based agricultural empowerment programme currently covers all 361 political wards, with a focus on women and small-scale farmers.
He also highlighted the establishment of a goat breeding centre at Larinawa, which he said would be expanded into a comprehensive livestock development hub, as well as seven zonal veterinary clinics to improve animal healthcare services.
Minister backs livestock processing
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, commended the Katsina government’s interventions in agriculture and livestock development, describing them as strategic initiatives capable of transforming the sector.
Mr Maiha said the future of livestock development lies in processing animals close to production centres and transporting packaged meat through efficient cold-chain systems rather than moving live animals over long distances.
“The establishment of modern abattoirs and meat processing facilities will create jobs, increase revenue generation and stimulate growth across several related industries,” the minister said.
He also advocated transforming the Mai’adua International Livestock Market into a modern livestock exchange hub, supported by digital technology and capable of attracting domestic and foreign investment.
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The minister expressed concern about the impact of multiple security checkpoints on livestock transportation and called for stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector to improve efficiency in the livestock value chain.
Stakeholders seek reforms
The Katsina Commissioner for Livestock Development, Ahmed Mohammad, said the ministry had begun sensitisation campaigns across the state’s 34 local government areas to mobilise beneficiaries of its goat-rearing empowerment programme.
He said extension workers and veterinary personnel would work closely with livestock cooperatives, while periodic reviews would be conducted to address implementation challenges.
“Our goal is not just to distribute goats, but to create entrepreneurs who can compete in local and regional markets,” Mr Bakori said.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria, Kabiru Dabai, urged authorities to address challenges affecting the movement of livestock and agricultural commodities nationwide.
The symposium, themed “Enhancing Road Safety in Livestock Transportation and Addressing Blockages on National Highways,” focused on ways of improving livestock transportation, strengthening agricultural value chains and boosting food security in the North-west.
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