The Kogi State Livestock Production and Resilience Support Project (Kogi L-PRES) is set to partner with the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) to advance the commercialisation of pasture production under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
This initiative, part of L-PRES’s broader strategy to engage relevant stakeholders, explores pasture development for local livestock support and potential export.
The collaboration seeks to boost livestock productivity, reduce herder-farmer conflicts, create youth employment, and enhance income generation in the state.
The State Coordinator of the L-PRES Project, Otaru Abdulkadir Onoruoyiza, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor of CUSTECH, Prof. Abdullrahman Asipita Salawu. He explained that the visit was to assess a 50-hectare parcel of land for its suitability for pasture development.
According to Onoruoyiza, the initiative would “improve productivity in the livestock sector to ensure food security; reduce farmers/herders conflict; serve as a source of employment to the youths; generate income and enhance means of livelihood, amongst others.”
Healther Ronke Akani, a value chain consultant with the L-PRES team, added that the programme could help grow Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings and reduce insecurity.
“She appealed for cooperation for the successful implementation of the programme.”
In his response, the Vice Chancellor commended the Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, for providing an enabling environment, including allocating 100 hectares of land at the Confluence of Rivers Osara and Oro for the pilot scheme. He noted that the collaboration would benefit the university’s agricultural science students.
Dr. Roland Oroh, Managing Director/CEO of Commodities Development Initiative (CDI), and other value chain cluster coordinators also attended the visit.
The Kogi L-PRES project is supported by the World Bank.
