The Director, Livestock Department, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Joseph Nyager,  has said that Nigeria has 1.2 million tons of unmet demand for meat.

The figure represents more than 70 per cent of the total of 1.7 million tons of unmet meat demand in the West African sub-region.

Nyager made the disclosure in a paper titled: “Improving Milk and Meat Production in Nigeria’’, presented at a diary and meat summit in Jos recently.

The summit, which was organised in collaboration with the Plateau State Government, is part of the strategy towards successful agricultural transformation in Nigeria.

The director, who is also the chief veterinary officer in the ministry, added that there was equally a wide gap of 700,000 metric tons between domestically produced milk and internal demand.

“These deficits are met by importation which is detrimental to the growth of the industry because a large percentage of the rural poor earn more than 50 per cent of their income from livestock.

“As a result of these developments, the meat and dairy value chains has been identified as a priority area of the intervention by the Federal Government.

“The intervention will increase production and productivity, reduce dependence and improve the income of actors in the value chain, particularly the small holders.’’

Nyager explained that to be able to achieve this, the Federal Government was focusing on the development of six priority value chain of meat from cow, pig, sheep, goats, poultry and diary.

He said the ministry had recently directed the inclusion and commencement for the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) into these value chains to provide a cushion for farmers.

“These could be done through the provision of critical livestock inputs such as supplementary feed and salt licks at a discount rate in order to improve production and productivity.

“The Federal Government has also engaged the services of a reputable consultant to develop a comprehensive strategy for the transformation of the meat industry, particularly beef, into a valuable venture,’’ he added.

The expert said that the ministry was collaborating with the private sector to strengthen the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) to develop and commercialise Shika Brown to provide day-old chicks to poultry farmers at a cheaper rate.

“This is expected to position the beef industry to process and provide wholesome meat and meat products at affordable prices to Nigerians and for export,’’ he stated.

For the diary sector, Nyager said that the ministry was collaborating with West African Milk Company (WAMCO) to set up milk collection centres in Oyo State and FCT.

He said that six milk collection centres had already been established in Wasimi, in Oyo state, adding that inventory of diary infrastructures have been completed in Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Adamawa, Nasarawa and Oyo States, and the FCT.

According to him, the steps are in preparation for the take-off of a Diary Development Programme in 2013, in order to increase productivity and prepare breed improvements through artificial insemination.

“We have already commenced the selection of farmers and cattle for this programme,’’ he disclosed.