Chidimma Uchegbu – Abuja
The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Dr. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, on Thursday 24th April, 2025, received the Ambassador of Ireland to Nigeria, Mr. Peter Ryan, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Discussions during the courtesy visit, focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and Ireland in the areas of agriculture and livestock development. farming systems.
Ambassador Ryan highlighted Ireland’s remarkable transformation from a predominantly agrarian economy to a global leader in technology and service exports.
He described how, despite the shift, farming still maintains a central cultural and economic role in Irish society, with over 130,000 family-owned farms supported by a robust cooperative model and government-funded advisory systems.
“Our farming sector is deeply rooted in community and tradition,” said Ambassador Ryan. “Every single farm in Ireland is family-owned, and every farmer has access to a dedicated farm advisor. This collective approach, alongside investment in education and agricultural research, has helped us triple our dairy output since 2015.”
He proposed enhanced collaboration with Nigeria in areas of livestock genetics, extension services, farmer cooperatives, and sustainable grazing systems.
The Irish envoy further stressed the importance of research and education, citing Ireland’s global leadership in tertiary education and agricultural research, supported by institutions that blend academic learning with practical farming experience.
According to the statement issued and signed by the Director of Press& Public Relations, Ben.Bem Goong, the Honourable Minister, Maiha, expressed admiration for Ireland’s achievements and affirmed Nigeria’s readiness to strengthen ties.
“We are in a season of transformation,” he said, “and we are eager to learn from Ireland’s journey, especially in the areas of livestock breeding, disease management, cooperative farming, and technology-driven productivity.”
The Minister welcomed the Ambassador’s proposal to host a Nigerian delegation during Ireland’s National Plowing Championship in September 2025, an event attended by over 250,000 participants from across sectors.
He noted the opportunity for Nigerian policymakers, researchers, and agribusiness leaders to explore Ireland’s integrated model of research, policy, and community-based farming.
The meeting also explored key areas of collaboration including student exchange programmes in agricultural sciences, and partnerships to strengthen the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) and National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Nigeria’s premier livestock research institutions.
A significant highlight of the meeting was the announcement of an upcoming visit to Nigeria by Professor Stephen Onakuse, an Irish-based Nigerian expert in livestock genetics and grazing systems.
Facilitated by the Irish Embassy, his visit is scheduled for May, is aimed at initiating technical partnerships between Nigerian institutions and their Irish counterparts.
