The upper chamber of the national assembly, on Tuesday, considered a bill that seeks to control the movement of livestock across the country, dissuade the incessant cattle rustling and conflicts between herders and farmers which has led to the loss of lives and properties in recent times.
The bill which is being proposed seeks to establish National Livestock (Protection, Control, and Management) Bureau, scaled Second Reading on the floor of the Senate.
According to its sponsor, Senator Bima, Muhammad Enagi (Niger South), the piece of legislation was simply borne out of the need to safeguard our national livestock and sanitize the livestock industry.
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The lawmaker, in his lead debate, said the movement of livestock and their products has increased the spread of diseases, increased the threat to human health and reduced consumer confidence in animal products.
He said the Bureau when established will ensure the traceability of animal products into the country, in order to safeguard the lives of our people.
The listed benefits of the Bill include the creation of a National Livestock Identification Database; ensure management, traceability, and control of movement of livestock; ensure livestock health and disease management through disease surveillance, prevention, and quick response to disease outbreaks.
Also captured are food safety through the traceability of animal products; enhance transparency and information in the food chain; deter animal theft, especially as it affects the incessant cattle rustling crisis; aid intelligence gathering by security agencies towards mitigating the incessant conflicts between herders and farmers.
He said: ‘With the vast livestock resources available and proper use of experts, it can be exploited to transform the livelihood of millions of farmers and other stakeholder in the livestock value chain.
‘In the long run, an enabling law will sanitize the sector, reduce communal conflicts and herders-farmers clashes, enhance foreign exchange earnings, give the desired boost to the on-going agricultural renaissance that the present administration is passionate about.’
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK