FG To Track, Curb Livestock Rustling Through Digital Technology

One year after the launch of the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS), the Federal Government has inaugurated an Inter-departmental Technical and Implementation Committee on Friday.

NAITS was aimed at identifying, tracking, and curbing livestock rustling in Nigeria.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe represented by the Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, Mr. Ibrahim Taminu disclosed this in a statement signed by the Principal Information Officer Umar Sanusi.

Umakhihe said, “NAITS would support livestock sector, provide credit and insurance, livestock movement control, animal recording for genetic improvement and research, ease of traceability, surveillance, animal disease control and enable trade”.

He stated that the NAITS was a comprehensive animal information management system that would utilize forgery-proof ear tags and cattle passports combined with digital technology to identify and track livestock across Nigeria.

Also, the permanent secretary said technology advancement had rapidly enhanced productivity across all sectors of the economy, while noting that the progress made so far to actualize animal Identification and Traceability in Nigeria as well as other innovations in agriculture have been largely driven by digital transformation which has produced exponential results.

He added that a lot of sensitization activities had been going on in selected states for their buy-in and adoption for national coherence of efforts at achieving a robust livestock information database, improved production and efficient animal disease control.

In his remarks, the Chief Operating Officer, Mega Corp, Mr. Uchenna Ononye pointed out the benefits of NAITS to include the ability to identify and trace all livestock in the country, security management, data collation, improved animal husbandry, and increased employment amongst others.

He said that an App had been developed to that effect and called on government for creation of more awareness and sensitization.