Constraints to Increasing Agricultural Productivity in Nigeria: A Review

Based on FAO (2004) production estimates, poultry meat production in Nigeria averaged only
179,667 mt during the 1998–2003 period. Egg production during the same period was estimated
to average 434,000 mt. During 1998–2003, Nigeria therefore produced, on the average, a total
of 613,667 mt of both poultry meat and eggs per annum.
On the basis of the required 34 gm per capita daily consumption of protein, it is estimated that
the minimum annual supply of poultry products required is 1,737,400 mt, assuming a national
population of about 140 million. It is therefore not surprising that Nigeria has traditionally
depended heavily on poultry products importation to meet the supply gap.
Major Constraints to Livestock Production
According to a 2003 report of the Presidential Committee on Livestock (PCOL), the constraints
to livestock production in Nigeria can be broadly summarized to include “biological limitations of
the indigenous breeds of animals; seasonal availability of production inputs such as feed, water
and good quality pasture; and lack of effective veterinary services and availability of vaccines
and veterinary drugs at reasonable costs.” Following are some of the specific constraints of
livestock productivity in Nigeria, as outlined in PCOL (2003).
Feeds and Nutrition Constraints
Feeds constitute at least 60 percent of the total variable costs of livestock production in Nigeria.
Monogastric animals such as pigs and poultry depend on compound feeds, which are affected
by the availability and quality of the constituent raw materials. The ruminants feed mainly on
forages and crop residues, which are also affected by seasonality.
The specific constraints to livestock feed compounding include:
1. severe shortages of grains and oil seeds;
2. low capacity utilization in the agro processing sector, which in turn limits the amount of
by-products and wastes available to the feed industry;
3. limited availability of grains for human consumption and industrial processing, which in
turn affects availability of grains for feed manufacturing; and
4. capacity utilization in the feed industry is perennially less than 30 percent, due to the
above constraints.
The availability of ruminant feeds is specifically constrained by:
1. poorly developed grazing reserves and related infrastructure;
2. poor crop/livestock integration, which still results in high dependency on external inputs
for crop and livestock production; and
3. poorly developed agroforestry practices that would have otherwise promoted joint
production of crops, livestock, fodder, and crop residues.
Arising from these constraints, ruminants experience seasonal weight gain/loss during the
wet/dry periods of the year.
Animal Breeding and Improvement Constraints
About 90 percent of the national livestock herd is under traditional management. Thus, genetic
factors seriously limit livestock productivity in Nigeria. Complete absence of grandparent stock
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