Livestock247 is empowering smallholder livestock farmers in the Northeast through partnership to further their contribution to the global value chain.

The term “smallholders” in the livestock industry, describes small farmers who own the land they raise animals on and those who do not.
Smallholder livestock production in a lot of developing countries remains at subsistence levels due to many factors. 

Major Challenges of Smallholder Farmers in the Livestock Industry

• Smallholder farmers typically lack access to credit, receive little technical support, and often have low productivity. 
• They are usually considered part of the informal economy (because they may not be registered, tend to be excluded from aspects of labour legislation, lack social protection, and have limited records).
• Smallholder farmers generally rely on labour-intensive production methods that may not be sustainable. 
• They are often vulnerable in supply chains due to reduced access to markets.

In Nigeria, market networks in some parts of the North-east have been negatively impacted by the continuous conflict and insecurity in the region. This has led to a significant loss of lives and property, destruction of vital infrastructure, displacement, and the destabilization of economic, food, and animal production. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the isolation of poor and rural dwellers, particularly women, young adults, and vulnerable people to market systems.

This is why the USAID-funded Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity, through Mercy Corps Nigeria, has signed partnership agreements with 14 private sector and civil society organizations to facilitate the recovery of the Northeast Nigeria business environment.

Improving the Agricultural Global Value Chain Through Partnership

The initiative-Rural Resilience Activity is investing an additional $2.5 million, through the Notice of Funding Opportunities (N.O.F.O), to support the new partners to implement innovative ideas to reduce hunger and malnutrition, and increase the income and resilience of smallholder farmers, and producer organizations in the Northeast. This additional funding will help to create market opportunities for the participants by removing bottlenecks that impede inclusive market participation due to the shortage of market actors.

According to the Country Director, Mercy Corps Nigeria–Ndubisi Anyanwu: “We value partnerships and believe they offer the best opportunity to deliver quality programs and sustain them in the long run. These partnerships will increase incomes, promote sustainable change in market systems, and enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers and microenterprise owners in conflict-affected areas of Northeast Nigeria“.

The partnership with Livestock247-Nigeria’s foremost online Livestock platform will increase economic productivity through Agripreneurship development and capacity building activities for at least 3,000 women in rural communities.

Would you like to know more about how you can help to contribute to the livestock value chain in Nigeria? You can send an email to us-support@livestock247.com, we will be glad to show you the ropes.

However, if you would like to buy wholesome meat or vet-certified livestock(ram& goat inclusive) click here to place your order.

If you made it to the end of this article, don’t forget to check out our blog on “Intensive Farming:- Advantages & Disadvantages” here.

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