Nigeria Can Earn $60 Million Annually From Donkey Production – Farmers

The National Association of Donkey Farmers (NADFAMS) asserted that the nation has the potential to generate over 60 million dollars annually and create job opportunities for millions of young individuals through the donkey production sector.

A member of the Board of Trustees of NADFAM, Chidebere Innabuike, made this statement during the official inauguration of the association. He also spoke during the presentation of the certificate of registration and the commissioning of its new office in Abuja.

Innabuike emphasised the need for significant investment in donkey breeding to enhance the nation’s economy.

“Nigeria can make 60 million dollars annually if we venture into production of donkeys, in terms of exportation and processing, but you have to produce what you will export.

“Right now, we are working towards aggressive production, not processing; we are giving ourselves five to seven years to achieve the goal, which will also help to create employment for millions of youths,” he said.

He noted that donkeys also possess medicinal value besides the economic and social advantages.

Consequently, he called upon the government to support the association, whether through loans or grants, to encourage investment in the donkey production industry.

“We seek assistance from the government; if the government could help us with grants or loans, it will help donkey farmers attain the goal of producing millions of donkeys annually.

“Recently, we plan to establish ranches in various parts of the country where the production of donkeys is viable, especially in the north.

“So, we request for loans or grants from the government through the ministry of agriculture. We can engage in what we call expansive ranches if the government gives us loans,” he said.

He mentioned that the association has set a goal to produce two million donkeys by the year 2030. He also revealed that the farmers have a strategic plan to establish donkey ranches in Gombe, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, and Kano States.

“We have in Nasarawa, presently, up to 12.5 hectares of ranches, and we want to expand to other parts of the north.

“We want the government to support through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security or Bank of Agriculture to establish and expand this business,” he said.

The Director, Animal Husbandry Services Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Winnie Lai-Solarin, conveyed the government’s commitment to enhance donkey production and prevent its impending extinction.

Lai-Solarin highlighted that the government had instituted the Donkey Value Chain within the Department of Animal Husbandry Services in the ministry, and various initiatives have been implemented to fulfil this objective.

These initiatives encompassed stakeholder engagement in promoting increased donkey production in Nigeria in 2020, as well as the establishment and regulation of donkey farmers’ cooperative societies across the states.

She explained that additional interventions comprised the acquisition and dispersal of Jennies and feed to cooperative members in Katsina and Sokoto States. Furthermore, the distribution of concentrated feeds was undertaken as a form of relief to 100 donkey farmers.

Lai-Solarin further noted that the department had conducted awareness programs for donkey farmers, emphasising the importance of artificial insemination to encourage the adoption of modern techniques in donkey breeding and enhancement.

The director said that the formation of the association was a right step towards boosting the production of donkeys in the country.

“The successful registration of the association is a great milestone in the efforts to galvanise ideas of common interest to achieve the objective of saving donkeys from imminent extinction not only in Nigeria but in Africa as a whole.”

She commended the leadership for its resilience in ensuring that the association was registered appropriately to put it on a strong footing to stand with the government’s effort to promote increased production of donkeys in Nigeria.

She said the effort would also help to avert the extinction of the animal, provide a means of livelihood and generate foreign earnings in the country.

The National President of NADFAMS, Abubakar Kagu, said the formation of the association would complement the government’s efforts to boost the production of donkeys in the country.

Kagu said the association’s objective was to stimulate the rural economy and provide employment opportunities.

He emphasised that the association complements government initiatives aimed at expediting food production, especially in areas where mechanised agriculture is inaccessible and can only be achieved through animal (donkey) traction.

He pointed out that the association also plays a supportive role as a partner to the Federal Government in its endeavours to prevent the illegal slaughtering and processing of donkeys for exports. This involves mobilising its members to monitor and regulate such activities.

“I’m sure the NADFAM will help to arrest the menace of extinction and help the country become the leading player in global donkey conservation to grow wealth for millions of farmers,” he said.

---

---