Improving food security in Nigeria through livestock innovation

Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Centre for Transition Economy Studies, 123001, Moscow, Russia

^* Corresponding author: ninagavrilova1976@gmail.com

Abstract

The challenge of ensuring food security, which concerns not only the availability of food products but also their nutritional quality, is particularly important for modern Nigeria. The diet of the population lacks sufficient animal protein, which entails many health problems. Nigeria’s livestock sector, despite its considerable size, is not able to satisfy the demand of the rapidly growing population for animal protein. The steady development of animal husbandry in Nigeria is hindered by the escalating conflict between farmers and pastoralists, which causes loss of life, destruction of crops and livestock. The Nigerian authorities have made repeated attempts to find a solution to resolve the conflict, one of them being the decision to establish livestock ranches that would limit the grazing area and thereby eliminate the main cause of the tensions – constant migrations of livestock, but to no avail. Modern laws do not take into account many of the nuances that make attempts to organize livestock farming in fenced areas unfeasible. However, keeping farm animals on ranches is an innovative way to develop livestock in Nigeria. The author believes that Nigerian laws regulating the livestock sector require significant modification, where special attention should be paid to innovative components.