The Federal Government has intensified its push for ranching as the backbone of Nigeria’s livestock transformation, with the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, unveiling plans to strengthen feed security and genetic improvement through strategic partnerships with private sector operators.
The Minister stated this during an inspection visit to Manchong Integrated Farms Limited in Nasarawa State on Thursday, December 19, 2025, where he led a delegation of senior officials and industry stakeholders to assess ongoing ranching, fodder production and breeding operations at the facility.
Maiha described the farm as a model example of how modern livestock systems can thrive in Nigeria, noting that the facility integrates pasture development, water management and structured animal husbandry even during the dry season.
“This farm demonstrates that ranching is not a theoretical concept but a practical and scalable production system,” the Minister said. “With proper planning, adequate feed and good management, Nigeria can modernise its livestock sector and unlock its full economic potential.”
He disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development would collaborate with Manchong Integrated Farms on large-scale feed and fodder seed production to support livestock farmers across the country. According to him, the farm’s current supply of fodder to states such as Jigawa and Yobe positions it to evolve into a major hub for national feed distribution.
“Our objective is to build a reliable feed system that guarantees year-round availability of quality fodder for livestock owners, reduces pressure on natural grazing routes and enhances productivity,” Maiha stated.
The Minister also announced plans to use the facility as a pilot centre for genetic improvement programmes aimed at upgrading Nigeria’s cattle breeds.
“For most of the improved genetic materials we plan to introduce into the country, we will first work with this farm to produce offsprings that can be multiplied and distributed nationwide. This approach ensures adaptation, quality control and sustainability,” he said.
In his remarks, the owner of the farm, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, commended the Federal Government’s renewed focus on practical livestock reforms and praised the Minister for engaging directly with farmers and investors.
Dogara explained that Manchong Integrated Farms was established to showcase ranching as a viable solution to the long-standing farmer–herder conflicts that have affected agricultural communities, particularly in northern Nigeria.
“Ranching offers a pathway to peace, productivity and prosperity,” he said. “If this model is replicated across the country, it will reduce insecurity, create jobs and transform livestock into a major economic driver.”
He further highlighted the economic prospects of the sector, noting that the global dairy and beef market is valued at approximately 2.5 trillion dollars, with northern Nigeria holding more than 70 per cent of the nation’s livestock population.
“Capturing just a fraction of this market can generate billions of dollars annually for Nigeria. What is required now is sustained investment and policy support,” Dogara added.
Also speaking, a livestock business partner to the Botswana Embassy in Abuja, Mr. Clinton Agbo, described the farm as a credible platform for international cooperation.
“This facility has the capacity to host a pilot programme that brings African expertise together. Botswana has experience to share, Nigeria has scale and leadership, and Africa stands to benefit,” he said.
The visit, analysts say, reflects a growing alignment between government policy and private sector innovation, with ranching, feed security and genetic improvement emerging as central pillars of Nigeria’s evolving livestock development agenda.
