The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed plans to partner with investors to boost livestock development and create jobs in the territory.
The Acting Secretary, FCTA Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Mr Ibe Chukwuemeka, said this at the 2021 World Milk Day at Paikon-Kore in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja on Tuesday in Abuja.
Chukwuemeka said that the Administration recognised the important roles the livestock sub-sector played in attaining food security, creating of jobs and improving the well-being of residents, it would keep partnering with key stakeholders.
The acting secretary explained that the Administration had been in collaboration with investors such as Nestle Foods Plc in upgrading activities at the grazing reserves across the Federal Capital.
Chukwuemeka was represented by Mrs Ann Ijeoma, Director, Administration, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat.
He said that the FCT administration was working with Africa Development Bank (AfDB) in the implementation of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) with emphasis on livestock development and its value chains.
According to Chukwuemeka, the agriculture secretariat has been able to organise dairy farmers in the FCT into various cooperative groups to enable them easily access support.
“We have equally trained the farmers on milk handling practices to help improve the quality and market value of their products,” he said.
Earlier, the FCTA Acting Director, Animal Husbandry, Ngozi Mbaka, said that the secretariat would continue to provide the needed infrastructure in the grazing reserves as well as empower livestock farmers in all the Six Area Councils.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event attracted many pastoralists within and outside Gwagwalada Area Council.
