By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD) has distributed over 1,000 livestock feed inputs to farmers across Bayelsa State as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen livestock production, improve farmers’ livelihoods and enhance food security in the country.
The intervention was carried out on Saturday, 8 August, 2026 by the Ministry’s Department of Ranch and Pastoral Resources Development.
Representing the Minister of Livestock Development, Hon. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, the Director, Ranch and Pastoral Resources Development, Dr Hakeem Ibilade, described the intervention as one of the Ministry’s milestones in responding to the needs and concerns of livestock farmers across the country.
Ibilade explained that the intervention was designed in response to feedback received from farmers in Bayelsa State, stressing that the Ministry remains committed to a responsive and farmer-centred approach to the sustainable development of Nigeria’s livestock sector.
He noted that the provision of the inputs by the Federal Government was intended to support farmers’ production activities, urging beneficiaries to ensure their proper and continuous utilisation for the benefit of their livestock, communities and the state.
The Director also encouraged farmers to organise themselves into cooperative groups and associations, noting that such structures would facilitate effective coordination and make it easier for farmers to access future interventions and support programmes of the Ministry, while urging beneficiaries to take ownership of the items provided and use them responsibly to improve livestock productivity and contribute to the development of the livestock value chain in the state.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Unobong, said the Ministry was distributing groundnut cake and salt licks to livestock farmers in the state to support animal nutrition and boost livestock production, explaining that the intervention was part of the Minister’s commitment to improving the welfare and productivity of livestock farmers across the country.
He disclosed that similar interventions were being implemented in other parts of the federation, reaffirming the Ministry’s determination to ensure that livestock farmers benefit from government support irrespective of their location, and assured beneficiaries that the Ministry would continue to explore additional interventions and support measures aimed at strengthening livestock production in the state.
On his part, the State Coordinator, Dr Bamigboye, said the essence of the programme was to contribute to sustainable food security and ensure the availability of nutritious livestock products in Bayelsa State, explaining that increased livestock productivity would lead to greater availability of products such as meat, eggs and milk, while also creating employment opportunities and strengthening the livestock value chain.
He urged farmers to pay greater attention to the nutritional value of livestock products, stressing that deliberate investment in the livestock value chain would contribute significantly to addressing challenges relating to food security, employment generation and economic development, adding that increased productivity in the sector could also create opportunities for the development of export-oriented livestock products, including hides and skins.
The beneficiaries commended the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development for the intervention and appealed for additional support in the form of livestock production inputs, equipment and machinery to enable farmers expand their operations and contribute more effectively to the development of the livestock sector in Bayelsa State.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to strengthening partnerships with livestock farmers and stakeholders across the country and implementing responsive interventions that will improve productivity, enhance food security, create jobs and promote sustainable development of Nigeria’s livestock sector.
