Federal Livestock Ministry Hosts Capacity Building Workshop for Women and Youths

News in brief:

-The Livestock Ministry is prioritising women and youths as drivers of sustainability and innovation in the livestock sector.

-Capacity building workshops are equipping participants with practical, enterprise-ready skills across livestock production and processing.

During a Capacity Building Workshop for Women and Youths in the Livestock Value Chain, hosted in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the Director Technical in the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr Peter Alike, reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to empowering women and youths as strategic drivers of a sustainable, innovative, and competitive livestock sector in Nigeria.

Alike emphasised that embedding sustainability and innovation across the entire livestock value chain, including feed production, animal husbandry, processing, and marketing, is essential to unlocking the sector’s full economic potential. He noted that strengthening the capacity of women and youths remains central to repositioning livestock as a reliable contributor to food security, employment, and national growth.

According to him, the initiative is structured as a continuous and transformative programme, designed to equip participants with practical, hands-on skills that can be directly applied to their farms and agribusinesses. He added that the training prioritises actionable knowledge, mindset development, and long-term competency building to support sustainable livestock practices.

Strategic Role of Women and Youths in NL-GAS

Dr Alike further explained that the strategic role of women and youths informed their inclusion as a priority group under the ten pillars of the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, the Ministry’s flagship framework for sectoral reform.

During the workshop, an animal scientist, Mr Ifeanyi Harry Njoagwuani, described sustainability as an ongoing process anchored in science and effective management. He highlighted climate-resilient breeds, improved genetics, precision nutrition through optimised feed formulation, and climate-smart housing systems as key pathways to sustainable livestock production.

Also speaking, Mr Ayoade Akande stressed the importance of strengthening extension services and attracting private sector investment in modern feed technologies. He advocated expanded forage seed distribution, support for research and innovation hubs, and enabling policies to promote sustainable ruminant nutrition.

Fostering Cooperative Alliances and Advocacy

In his closing remarks, the Director of Livestock Extension and Business Development, Mr Joseph Ako Eleojo, encouraged participants to form cooperative alliances and act as change advocates within their communities. He noted that women and youths were deliberately targeted due to their capacity to drive innovation, productivity, and sustainability across the livestock sector.

A major highlight of the two-day workshop was a study visit to De-Dre Solution Poultry Farm in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory. The facility, with a capacity of 24,800 birds and a daily output of about 650 crates of eggs, provided participants with practical exposure to efficient and sustainable poultry operations. Participants were drawn from poultry and ruminant farming enterprises across several states of the Federation.