Pascal Arogorn Ibe
The senate is considering a bill seeking to create a database for cows in the country.
The bill for an act to provide for National Livestock Bureau scaled second reading at Tuesday’s plenary session.
According to the proposed law sponsored by Muhammad Enagi from Niger south, the agency will be in charge of identification, traceability and registration of livestock such as cows and goats to among other things curb cattle rustling.
It will also ensure the protection, control and management of all livestock in Nigeria.
A similar bill was considered by the previous senate but it was not passed.
Some of the duties of the bureau being created include to: create a national livestock identification database; control movement of livestock and ensure their management to prevent disease outbreaks.
It is also charged with ensuring food safety, transparency and information in the food chain, as well as the prevention of cattle rustling to end the prolonged farmer/herder conflict in Nigeria.
Enagi said that in addition to checking cattle rustling, the bill will help address the diseases and other threats to human lives caused by the movement of livestock.
He said the agency in charge will also ensure that animal products being imported into, or sold in, Nigeria are easily traced to ensure human safety.
The senator said livestock identification by the agency will include ownership and other details including their origin, birthplace, sex and breed.
After deliberating on the bill, the red chamber referred it to its committee on agriculture and rural development for further action.
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