FG Moves to Boost Livestock Productivity With Year-Round Affordable Feed Supply
By Pan Afric Reporters
The Federal Government has identified year-round access to affordable and nutritionally balanced animal feed as a critical step towards boosting livestock productivity, strengthening food security and transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector into a more competitive industry.
The position was contained in a statement issued by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Henrietta Okokon, dated September 10, 2026, following the launch of Olam Agri’s TrueValue Cattle Feed in Kaduna.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said Nigeria could not fully harness the genetic potential of its livestock without adequate and consistent nutrition.
“Good genetics must be matched with good nutrition if we are to achieve optimal growth for milk production, fertility, animal health, and overall farm productivity,” Maiha said.
The Minister noted that feed constitutes one of the major costs of livestock production, stressing that its quality and availability have direct implications for animal health, growth and survivability.
According to him, ensuring feed availability throughout the year through fodder, crop residues and concentrates is fundamental to sustainable livestock production, with broader implications for food security, economic prosperity and peaceful management of livestock.
Maiha said the introduction of quality concentrate feeds was particularly important to the development of commercial feedlot systems for cattle and other livestock.
He explained that when concentrates are combined with quality fodder, clean water and sound animal husbandry practices, they can improve feed conversion, accelerate weight gain and shorten finishing periods, enabling farmers to take healthier and better-finished animals to the market.
The Minister further linked the development of a stronger feed industry to the growth of the wider livestock value chain, including feedlots, abattoirs, meat processing, packaging, transportation and marketing.
“A more productive and reliable feed industry will ensure the regular supply of quality cattle, sheep, and goats to our abattoirs. It will also encourage investment in modern feedlots, slaughter facilities, meat processing, culture infrastructure, packaging, branding, transportation, and marketing,” he said.
Maiha, however, called for a coordinated approach to developing Nigeria’s feed and fodder sector, involving fodder producers, crop farmers, feed manufacturers, livestock producers, research institutions, financial institutions and processors.
He also stressed the need for improved feed testing, appropriate ration formulation, certification of commercial feeds and stronger quality assurance measures to control contaminants.
The Minister advocated increased production and conservation of quality fodder as part of efforts to guarantee a reliable feed supply throughout the year.
Maiha commended Olam Agri for its investment in Nigeria’s livestock sector, describing the launch of TrueValue Cattle Feed as a practical contribution to the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise livestock production and build a productive, commercially viable and sustainable industry.
He urged the company to make the feed accessible and affordable to farmers, while supporting the product with farmer training, feeding demonstrations and collaboration with research and regulatory institutions.
Speaking at the event, Olam Agri’s President and Global Head of Animal Feeds and Proteins Business, Sharad Gupta, said the company was leveraging its established feed business and distribution network to introduce its cattle feed into the Nigerian market.
Gupta explained that while the distribution network for the cattle feed was still being developed, Olam Agri would combine its existing feed dealers with established players in the cattle sector who already maintain direct relationships with livestock farmers.
He said the company was focused on achieving economies of scale and ensuring that TrueValue Cattle Feed remained competitively priced rather than targeting small volumes at high prices.
“We are not looking to make small quantities and sell them at high price. We are looking to make large quantities and keep them very, very tightly competitively priced,” Gupta said.
He disclosed that Olam Agri already sources more than 90 per cent of the raw materials for its existing poultry feed business locally, including corn, soy, rice bran, groundnut cake, minerals and limestone.
Gupta added that the company’s wheat milling operations also provide access to wheat bran, an important ingredient in ruminant feed production.
The Federal Government’s renewed focus on feed availability is expected to strengthen livestock production by addressing one of the major constraints affecting animal growth, productivity and profitability.
The initiative also aligns with broader efforts to build a more integrated livestock value chain capable of supporting farmers, processors and other players while improving the availability of quality animal protein for Nigerians.
