The federal government, in collaboration with the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project and other stakeholders, has adopted climate-smart technologies to improve pasture management and ensure food security.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, stated this at a stakeholders’ workshop on ‘Technologies for Sustainable Pasture Production and Management in Nigeria’, organised by L-PRES on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Maiha, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Livestock Entrepreneurship, Mr Ishaq Bello, said the initiative was timely, forward-thinking, and crucial to the future of livestock productivity, food security, and peaceful coexistence.

He said the pursuit of sustainable pasture management was not merely an agricultural activity, but also a pathway to environmental sustainability, social stability, and economic resilience.

“As we confront pressing challenges ranging from overgrazing and climate stress to rising tensions over scarce pasture resources, it has become evident that innovation and collaboration must be our most potent tools,” he said.

The minister noted that the workshop, which brought together both local and international stakeholders, marked a bold step towards tangible progress and enduring partnerships to uplift pastoral communities and strengthen Nigeria’s livestock sector.

“This forum highlights the importance of global partnerships, including collaborations with esteemed institutions and government agencies in Israel, to harness climate-smart technologies and digital innovations.

“The participation of local and international stakeholders, from farmers and researchers to policymakers and development partners, reaffirms our shared commitment to transforming rangeland management in Nigeria’s arid and semi-arid zones,” he added.

Earlier, the national project coordinator of L-PRES, Sanusi Abubakar, outlined the workshop as a high-level forum focused on advancing sustainable pasture production and management in the country.

Mr Abubakar said the forum aimed to explore innovative, climate-smart, and technology-driven solutions to restore and sustainably manage Nigeria’s pasture ecosystems. He said pasturelands, regarded as the backbone of livestock production, were increasingly under threat from over-grazing, land degradation, and climate change.

“These challenges not only reduce productivity but also fuel conflicts over scarce natural resources,” he said.

Mr Abubakar explained that L-PRES is a six-year, $500 million World Bank-funded initiative designed to improve livestock productivity, commercialisation, and resilience.

“Our work is anchored on three components: institutional and innovation system strengthening; livestock value chain enhancement; and crisis prevention and conflict mitigation,” he said.

(NAN)