…..Shettima: Lasting peace in livestock sector is key to food security
Kebbi Governor to chair new national committee
Abuja — The National Economic Council (NEC) has taken a decisive step toward resolving Nigeria’s long-running farmer–herder crisis and boosting food security, with the constitution of a high-powered committee to fast-track the implementation of livestock development across the country.
At its 155th meeting held virtually on Wednesday, NEC, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, approved the establishment of a Livestock Development Committee to drive reforms aimed at transforming the sector into a modern, peaceful and profitable pillar of the national economy.
Vice President Shettima said Nigeria cannot guarantee food security without adopting “practical, enduring and nationally accepted solutions” to the farmer–herder conflict, describing food security as a moral obligation to citizens.
“We cannot perform a task as fundamental as feeding ourselves unless we find an enduring, practical and nationally accepted solution to the farmer–herder crisis,” the Vice President declared.
The newly inaugurated committee will be chaired by the Governor of Kebbi State and comprises one representative each from the six geopolitical zones — Bauchi (North-East), Niger (North-Central), Ondo (South-West), Imo (South-East), Cross River (South-South) and Kebbi (North-West).
Other members include the Ministers of Livestock Development; Agriculture and Food Security; Budget and Economic Planning; as well as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness in the Office of the Vice President.
NEC directed the committee to work with key stakeholders to review the recommendations of the Presidential Livestock Reform Committee (PLRC), examine proposals from the Ministry of Livestock Development, and identify willing states for phased implementation of the programme.
The move follows a directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 10, 2025, mandating NEC to collaborate with the Ministry of Livestock Development to produce a comprehensive roadmap for reforming Nigeria’s livestock industry.
According to Shettima, the creation of a standalone Ministry of Livestock Development underscores President Tinubu’s resolve to unlock the sector’s vast economic potential, reduce violent conflicts and restore peace to rural communities.
“What began as a challenge of coexistence gradually hardened into cycles of violence that were allowed to persist for far too long,” the Vice President said, lamenting the loss of lives, destruction of homes and devastation of farmlands across the country.
He noted that the conflict, once localised, has now spread nationwide, disrupting livelihoods and eroding trust between communities that once depended on each other for survival.
Shettima urged state governors to take ownership of the livestock reform agenda by embracing the proposals presented by the Ministry of Livestock Development and the PLRC, stressing that the sector offers a unique pathway to economic transformation, conflict resolution and national stability.
“The presentations before us speak directly to stabilising our food systems, restoring confidence in rural economies, and reducing security pressures arising from competition over land, water and livelihoods,” he said.
He assured that the Tinubu administration would accord priority attention to the recommendations, while calling on states to support implementation to fully harness the sector’s opportunities.
“At their core, these reforms dispel the false choice between agriculture and security. Both are inseparable pillars of national stability,” Shettima concluded.
