304
By Tracy Moses
In what appears to be a bold nutrition and agriculture-driven initiative under the current administration, the Federal Government has disclosed plans to ensure that every Nigerian child receives a daily pack of milk.
This is aimed at improving child nutrition while also boosting local dairy production.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Livestock Development, Mr. Idris Ajimobi, revealed this during an exclusive interaction with Pointblanknews.com on Tuesday.
He stated that the recently established Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is spearheading the ambitious agenda.
Ajimobi explained that the push to scale up dairy production is part of a broader national strategy to enhance Nigeria’s beef and milk output, improve food security, and significantly reduce the country’s reliance on imported dairy products.
According to him, “We want to get to a stage where every Nigerian child gets a pack of milk a day. To achieve this, we must increase our local production through a collective national effort.”
He further stated that the Tinubu-led administration has made significant progress in addressing the long-standing herder-farmer conflict, which has historically stifled livestock productivity and rural economic development. The new ministry, he said, has adopted a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach to resolving these conflicts by identifying root causes such as lack of clean water, inadequate feed, and poor livestock healthcare.
“The President has demonstrated strong political will. We’re engaging with communities, sensitizing them, and implementing long-term solutions,” Ajimobi added.
Reviving Nigeria’s Grazing Reserves
A key part of the ministry’s roadmap includes the revival of the country’s dormant grazing reserves. Ajimobi disclosed that of the 417 officially recognized grazing reserves across Nigeria, the ministry plans to revive at least two to three within the next 12 to 18 months, with a longer-term goal of rehabilitating the majority.
“Obviously, some of these reserves are in bad shape due to years of neglect, overgrowth of aggressive weeds, and land encroachment. But about 400 of them are still viable. We just need targeted interventions to bring them back to standard,” he said.
To achieve this, the ministry has initiated discussions with both local and international development partners to explore funding, technical assistance, and innovation in livestock management.
“We are going back to the drawing board to identify and address the sources of these problems. We cannot succeed without carrying the people along,” he noted.
Ajimobi emphasized that the goal is not only to resolve herder-farmer clashes but also to build a modern, sustainable livestock industry that benefits millions of Nigerians both economically and nutritionally.
“This is about food security, about health, and about giving dignity to our local farmers and herders,” he concluded.
Stakeholders React
Reacting to the development, Dr. Aisha Usman, a livestock nutrition expert at the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), described the milk-a-day initiative as “transformational.”
“This is long overdue. A pack of milk daily for children, if implemented well, will drastically reduce childhood malnutrition and stunting, especially in rural areas. But it must go hand-in-hand with strengthening veterinary services and local dairy supply chains.”
Chief Emmanuel Daramola, Chairman of the Southwest Farmers Cooperative Union, lauded the grazing reserve revival plan.
According to him, “Reviving the grazing reserves is key to ending the herder-farmer conflict. We have lost farmlands and livestock to clashes that could have been avoided. The President’s approach is realistic and inclusive.”
Fatima Bello, a youth livestock entrepreneur in Nasarawa State, called on the government to ensure that women and youth are not left out.
“Young people are ready to drive this transformation. We need access to land, micro-loans, and training. If this initiative includes us, it will not only improve milk production but also generate thousands of jobs.”
Voices from the Heartland
Yakubu Gyang, a veteran dairy farmer in Jos, Plateau State, praised the initiative as long overdue and critical to preserving Nigeria’s cattle-rearing heritage.
“The cold weather in Plateau is perfect for dairy farming, but our cows often suffer due to lack of feed and veterinary care. With the Federal Government now serious about livestock, we expect support to reach us in the form of feed supplements, veterinary outreach, and training. If that happens, we’ll double milk yield in two years,” Gyang said.
Hauwa Danlami, a livestock cooperative leader in Kaduna State, also welcomed the plan, describing it as a step towards restoring trust in the government’s agricultural promises.
“Kaduna is central to livestock movement and trade. If grazing reserves are revived and secured, conflicts will reduce, milk production will rise, and our children will finally benefit. But please, let them not forget the smallholder farmers, we need storage facilities, solar-powered coolers, and market access,” she urged.
Terna Iorliam, a Fulani-descended farmer and peace advocate in Benue State, expressed optimism that the revival of grazing reserves could finally bring peace to his conflict-stricken region.
“Here in Benue, land disputes between herders and farmers have led to years of pain. But if these grazing reserves are revived, properly mapped, and managed, there will be no need for roaming cattle. We support the milk-for-children programme too, but peace must come first, and this is a solid first step,” he said.