By Daniel Adaji
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Monday opened discussions on a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening food security as a pillar of national defence and economic growth.
During a courtesy visit to the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, in Abuja, the NAF delegation led by Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet said the collaboration would align military-backed agricultural investments with national livestock development priorities.
Speaking at the meeting, Maiha described the Air Force’s agricultural expansion as a forward-looking move that reflects global best practices linking food systems to operational readiness and national stability.
“Everybody is a farmer,” the Minister said, noting that increased participation of the Armed Forces in livestock production signals a deeper understanding that food security underpins national security.
He stressed that beyond conventional threats, food supply disruptions—whether accidental or deliberate—pose significant risks to military preparedness.
“There is no way you can sustain combat readiness if the integrity of what your officers and men consume is uncertain. Food security is national security,” he stated.
Maiha disclosed that the Ministry has identified 417 grazing reserves covering about five million hectares across the country and is implementing a structured settlement framework to enhance productivity, enforce biosecurity standards, and establish internationally certified disease-free zones.
According to him, transforming grazing reserves into compartmentalised disease-free zones is central to unlocking access to premium export markets, particularly the fast-growing multi-billion-dollar red meat market in the Gulf region.
He added that partnerships with institutions capable of ensuring structured security, surveillance, and compliance would strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in global livestock trade.
The Minister assured the Air Force of technical advisory support, veterinary services, capacity building, and policy alignment to ensure that NAF’s farming initiatives integrate seamlessly into the national livestock development strategy.
Air Vice Marshal Gabkwet commended the Federal Government for creating the Ministry as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification drive. He highlighted reforms within the sector, including expanded international engagements with Brazil and New Zealand on livestock genetics and dairy production, strengthened vaccine regulation, and the establishment of National Livestock Centres.
Gabkwet revealed that the Air Force launched a 2,000-hectare farm initiative in 2021 and recently formalised Nigerian Air Force Farms and Agro-Allied Services Limited to scale livestock and crop production nationwide.
He sought the Ministry’s support in training, improved breed access, veterinary services, and integration into federal livestock programmes.
Also speaking, the Pioneer Managing Director of NAF Farms and Agro-Allied Services Limited, Air Vice Marshal Abdulrasheed Kotun, announced plans for a pilot agricultural estate in Abuja. The project will feature cattle, sheep, goat, and poultry production supported by advanced security architecture, including unmanned aerial vehicle surveillance and fortified perimeter systems.
Officials of the Ministry, including directors and heads of departments, attended the meeting, which concluded with the presentation of commemorative souvenirs by the NAF delegation.
The proposed collaboration signals a growing institutional shift toward integrating agriculture, security, and economic diversification as mutually reinforcing components of Nigeria’s development strategy.
