In a resolute effort to combat the persistent issue of livestock rustling in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has officially inaugurated the Inter-departmental Technical and Implementation Committee, known as the ‘Working Group,’ for the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS).
Aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, this significant move reflects the government’s commitment to addressing and curbing the menace of livestock rustling across the country, ensuring the security of the nation’s vital agricultural assets.
Inaugurating the committee in a ceremony held at the minister’s conference room in Abuja, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, who represented the director of planning and policy coordination, Mr. Ibrahim Taminu, emphasised that the implementation of NAITS would play a pivotal role in supporting livestock owners to identify their animals, combat livestock rustling and facilitate various interventions in the livestock sector.
These interventions include providing credit and insurance, controlling livestock movement, recording animal data for genetic improvement and research, ensuring traceability, surveillance and controlling animal diseases to enable trade.
NAITS, as described by Umakhihe, is a comprehensive animal information management system that will leverage forgery-proof ear tags and cattle passports, combined with digital technology, to identify and track livestock throughout Nigeria. Highlighting the rapid advancement in technology that has enhanced productivity across various sectors, he underscored the importance of digital transformation in achieving results in agriculture.
The permanent secretary recalled the official launch of NAITS by the former minister, Dr. Muhammed Abubakar, on November 17, 2022. The operational management centre for NAITS is based in the department of animal husbandry services. Umakhihe mentioned the ongoing sensitisation activities in selected states, emphasising the importance of their cooperation and adoption for national cohesion in building a robust livestock information database, enhancing production and ensuring efficient animal disease control.
In his remarks, the chief operating officer of Mega Corp, Mr. Uchenna Ononye outlined the benefits of NAITS, including its ability to identify and trace all livestock in the country, enhance security management, collate data, improve animal husbandry practices and create employment opportunities. He highlighted the development of an app to facilitate these functionalities and called on the government to increase awareness and sensitisation about NAITS.
The newly inaugurated Inter-Departmental Technical and Implementation Committee for NAITS is a crucial structure required for the full implementation of the system. The committee is tasked with reviewing the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for NAITS, assessing the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MegaCorp (the technical partner) and facilitating the adoption of the system by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and state governments.
The inauguration marks the commencement of the committee’s activities, with members drawn from the ministry and its agencies, as well as MegaCorp. This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to actively addressing the issue of livestock rustling and establishing a robust system for livestock identification and traceability.
