By Sarah NEGEDU
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has stressed the need to strengthen livestock production, as part of efforts aimed at ensuring food security and sustainable agriculture in the country.
FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, made the remark at the 2025 National Pasture Planting Day held at the Kawu Grazing Reserve in Bwari Area Council, Abuja.
Mahmoud, explained that pasture planting is more than a farming activity, as it serves as a key intervention to ensure the year-round availability of quality feed for livestock, reduce overgrazing and land degradation, and advance the transition to modern, settled livestock systems.
The minister, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Austine Elemue, pointed that these efforts would not only increase productivity but also help prevent conflicts, foster peaceful coexistence, and protect the environment.
Describing the Kawu Grazing Reserve as a strategic agricultural asset within the Federal Capital Territory, Mahmoud said that with enhanced pasture management, improved water infrastructure and expanded veterinary services, the reserve has the potential to serve as a model for other states.
She added that such measures would enhance milk and meat production, create employment opportunities and support harmonious relations among rural communities.
“The National Pasture Planting Day event underscores the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proactive approach to overcoming challenges in the livestock sector, particularly the consistent availability of quality animal feed, positioning Nigeria toward a more modern, productive, and profitable livestock value chain,” Mahmoud said.
Mahmoud also said the FCT Administration supports pasture development projects that aim to secure the future of Nigeria’s livestock industry and described the planting event as a symbol of a shared vision for abundance, peace and prosperity.
