The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SMAT Farms Ltd., Mr. Suraj Ajiboye, has emphasized the potential of Nigeria’s livestock industry to create jobs and wealth for the country’s teeming population.
Ajiboye made this assertion while speaking at a 2-week Development of Occupational Standard for Technical Education and Training in Husbandry organized by the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science in conjunction with the Oluebube Logistic Limited at the University of Ibadan.
According to him, the livestock industry has the potential to create a wide range of job opportunities, from animal breeding and feeding to transportation, cooling systems, and veterinary services.
Ajiboye cited the example of a village with 200,000 people, where each person has cross-breed animals that produce 10-15 liters of milk per day. He noted that this could not only improve nutrition but also create a lucrative business opportunity.
“The value chain within the livestock sector, especially when it comes to dairy animals, is broad and wide,” Ajiboye said. “Talk about the business of transportation; the cooling system; and assistance that would be required by veterinary doctors, and animal scientists who would be called to do artificial insemination for these animals.”
Ajiboye expressed optimism that with the right mindset and investment, Nigeria’s livestock industry could be transformed into a major driver of economic growth and job creation.
He called on the government to provide the necessary support and infrastructure to enable the industry to reach its full potential.
Also speaking, the First Vice President of Nigeria Institute of Animal Science, Professor Akinyele Adeseyinwa stressed the importance of embracing artificial insemination (AI) in livestock production.
He noted that AI can significantly improve the quality and quantity of livestock, leading to increased productivity and profitability for farmers.
He also emphasized that AI can help reduce the incidence of farmers-herders clashes, as it reduces the need for physical meetings between male and female livestock.
