The Tor Tiv, James Ayatse, has tasked the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Benue State chapter, to take the lead in developing a comprehensive livestock plan for the state.

Mr Ayatse, who stated this when he addressed members of NVMA on Tuesday in Gboko, warned that failure to act could leave the sector at the mercy of external interests.

The paramount ruler stressed that the responsibility must be championed by professionals within the state.

He said, “If we do not have a livestock plan, people will push one on us.”

He noted that the state cannot shy away from livestock farming and described it as critical to food security and protein supply.

According to him, abandoning the sector will raise a fundamental question on where the state will be getting protein from.

The traditional ruler also called for the establishment of veterinary clinics in at least major towns across the state to ensure adequate animal healthcare and disease control.

He explained that functional vet clinics were essential for supporting livestock farmers and sustaining productivity.

Mr Ayatse expressed optimism that sustained efforts in the veterinary and livestock sector would eventually yield results, assuring stakeholders that their determination would pay off some day.

The traditional ruler said that he was emotionally attached to veterinary medicine, particularly at the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), recalling the challenges faced in establishing veterinary programmes at the institution.

He said that God helped them to pull through despite the difficulties, noting that veterinary medicine was one of the most demanding fields to set up due to the high cost of training.

Mr Ayatse added that he remained proud of the progress and initiatives being driven by the NVMA in Benue State and expressed confidence that conditions would improve over time.

The Tor Tiv decried the decline of agricultural extension services and described extension workers as once central to helping farmers adopt improved agronomic practices.

He called for the revival of the system, saying that its absence had left a significant gap in farmer support and agricultural development.

Mr Ayatse urged relevant authorities and professional bodies to work together to rebuild extension services and strengthen veterinary infrastructure, insisting that these steps were vital to the future of livestock farming and agriculture.

 (NAN)