Kenya and Nigeria Lead the Way in Livestock Sector Transformation With the Launch of APMD

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The African Pastoral Markets Development Platform (APMD) was officially launched in Nairobi yesterday, marking a significant milestone for Africa’s livestock sector. 

The event, attended by stakeholders from across the continent, featured a keynote address by Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Nigeria's Minister of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, who underscored the importance of sustainable and transformative interventions in pastoral communities.

The APMD project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to foster inclusive, market-driven, and adaptive transformations across eight African countries over the next four years. Minister Maiha emphasized that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s strategic focus on modernizing the livestock industry to enhance food and nutrition security locally and continentally.

“This ambitious project organically aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to transforming the livestock industry into a thriving, commercialized sector,” Maiha stated. He highlighted the Nigerian government’s recent establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development to coordinate national, regional, and international efforts aimed at stimulating investments and scaling up reforms.

Maiha commended the African Union and Kenya for hosting the platform, calling the launch “a significant milestone” for Africa’s pastoral communities. He noted the strategic selection of Nigeria and Kenya as key hubs for the project, recognizing their economic influence in the Sahel and East Africa. “If any project succeeds in Nigeria and Kenya under the AU banner, it will succeed across Africa,” he remarked.

The APMD project will address pressing issues in pastoral markets, including policy development, market integration, improved database systems, youth employment, food and nutrition security, and resilience against climate vulnerabilities.

Maiha outlined Nigeria’s plans to revitalize the livestock sector, including the development of 417 ranches covering nearly 5 million acres to serve as economic hubs, facilitating the resettlement of pastoralists and promoting market-driven activities. The government has also initiated an inventory of international cattle corridors to ensure adequate resting points, watering facilities, and regional markets.

“These measures will modernize livestock markets while addressing transboundary disease control and other challenges,” he explained.

He called on regional and international development partners, research institutions, and private organizations to collaborate with Nigeria in advancing the livestock sector. Maiha assured stakeholders of Nigeria’s institutional support and mobilization efforts to achieve the project’s objectives.

The minister expressed his gratitude to the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the government and people of Kenya for their hospitality and support during the event.

“As we work together at regional and continental levels, I look forward to a shared vision of food and nutrition security for our countries and our continent,” he concluded.

The APMD launch represents a significant step toward transforming Africa’s pastoral economies, paving the way for sustainable development and improved livelihoods across the continent.


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