Nigeria, Indonesia deepen partnership on livestock technology

Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, on Friday welcomed Bambang Suharto, the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, who led a five-member delegation to the ministry in Abuja.

The meeting advanced ongoing cooperation between both countries on livestock development, capacity building and technology transfer.

Maiha said food security is central to national stability and praised Indonesia’s steady support to Nigeria’s livestock sector.

He highlighted the artificial insemination project in Sokoto and Kebbi states, where 1,000 doses of semen donated by the Indonesian government achieved a 70 per cent success rate, producing 20 calves.

The minister described the project as a clear example of the value of technology exchange and reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to expand similar interventions.

He said Nigeria is eager to learn from Indonesia’s progress in livestock innovation to raise national productivity.

He also called for deeper collaboration in breeding centre development, pasture production, animal health systems, disease control and certification processes.

He expressed confidence that more states would adopt the artificial insemination model to improve genetics and profitability across livestock value chains.

Responding, Suharto commended the minister’s leadership and restated Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening technical support.

He disclosed that five professionals from the ministry will travel to Indonesia next week for capacity building, marking another step in the growing partnership.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC

Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications

She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet.

An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.