FG To Tag Animals, Digitize Cattle Routes – Maiha

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has said the Ministry has plans to tag animals in the country and digitize cattle routes.

Naija News reports that Maiha stated this on Friday during a Ministerial briefing held on Friday, in Abuja.

The Minister stated that the government would create a genetics bank where local indigenous genes of animals would be stored.

“We’re setting the stage for a livestock revolution! From better animal breeds and health systems to the Nigeria-Livestock Master Plan (N-LMP).

“We’re building policies that attract investments and empower farmers with skills and knowledge.

“We are already talking with institutions to create a genetics bank where we can store all our local indigenous genes for their resilience against disease,” he said.

The Livestock Minister explained that all cattle routes would be linked together to border control and to manage diseases being imported from other countries.

“We are digitizing cattle routes to know where they are, they all link together in order to put border control to manage diseases being imported from border countries as we have routes from neighbouring countries.

“Number of animals to be allowed into the country with written permission will be enforced,” he stated.

According to him, the animals would be tagged to resolve issues of traceability. He added that pastural organizations would be carried along with the Ministry’s plans.

“Issue of traceability for health challenges is important and that’s why we need to tag the animals. We should be able to trace every piece of meat you buy from the groceries.

“Pastural organization leadership will be invited in order to inform them on our plans and bring them on board, we are going to work with them as our stake holders,” he added.