The Alternative Bank, in partnership with Plateau State University (PLASU), has unveiled a breakthrough in livestock feed with the successful trial of Alfalfa. This high-protein forage crop promises to transform Nigeria’s livestock industry and reduce farmer-herder conflicts.

The innovation, presented at PLASU’s Green Field Day on Alfalfa Adaptability and Performance Trials in Bokkos, Plateau State, is being hailed as a game-changer for animal nutrition. Researchers, policymakers, farmers, agribusiness leaders, and development partners witnessed firsthand how the initiative could boost feed supply, enhance productivity, and strengthen food security in Nigeria.

Preliminary results show that Alfalfa thrives under Plateau’s soil and climate. According to Associate Professor Hosea Istifanus Finangwai, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and lead researcher, the crop recorded an 85% germination rate within two weeks, reaching 66.5cm in height after 13 weeks. 

With biomass yields projected at 18–20 tons per hectare annually, Alfalfa is set to provide a reliable, protein-rich forage for Nigeria’s dairy and beef industries.

“The trials mark a breakthrough moment. Alfalfa can redefine livestock farming and secure Nigeria’s food future,” said Hassan Yusuf, CEO of The Alternative Bank, represented by Head of Agric Finance, Ugonwa Ikegwuonu.

PLASU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shedrack Gaya Best, praised the project for positioning the university as a hub for agricultural innovation. “This initiative gives our students hands-on experience, opens up entrepreneurship opportunities, and places PLASU on the national stage,” he noted through his deputy.

Farmers and herders in attendance welcomed the innovation, stressing its potential to ease feed shortages and reduce tensions that fuel conflicts.

The Plateau State Government, represented by Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Sunday Akpa, expressed readiness to scale the project across all 17 local governments, calling it a pathway to unlocking the livestock value chain, boosting rural livelihoods, and strengthening food security.

Source: Daily Champion