African leaders urge livestock and rice value chain integration

At the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, regional leaders called for integrated agricultural strategies to enhance food security and reduce dependence on imports.

Nigeria’s Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, urged African governments and investors to develop commercially viable livestock value chains. He emphasized the need for “productive sovereignty” to mitigate vulnerabilities caused by reliance on imported feed, fertilizer, and veterinary supplies. Maiha highlighted Nigeria’s new Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and its National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy as key components of its economic transformation.

Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, advocated for stronger West African collaboration to achieve rice self-sufficiency. He noted that the region currently spends over US$3.5 billion annually on rice imports. Dumelo called for coordinated efforts among nations like Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, and Sierra Leone to strengthen the entire rice value chain, including technology, financing, and processing, to create jobs and reduce import reliance.