Cross River State Government has commenced moves to transform livestock management through the development of a digital Livestock Registration System to capture, map and manage livestock resources across the state.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Office of the Special Adviser on Livestock Development to the Governor and the Cross River Geographic Information Agency (CRGIA), with the Cross River Geographic Information System (CRGIS) serving as the technological platform.
The system will provide government with data on livestock holdings, owners and managers, farms and ranches, as well as key facilities including abattoirs, livestock markets and other points along the livestock value chain.
With accurate location-based information, the government will be better positioned to plan animal health interventions, monitor disease risks, identify livestock corridors, strengthen traceability and target support to farmers and other value-chain actors.
Speaking during an engagement on the initiative, the Special Adviser on Livestock Development, Mr. Liyel Imoukhuede, described the collaboration as “an important step towards building a modern and investment-ready livestock economy in Cross River State.”
Imoukhuede said, “Sustainable development of the livestock sector requires reliable and accessible information,” adding that the initiative was in line with the state government’s vision of positioning livestock as a productive and sustainable economic sector.
The Special Adviser commended Governor Bassey Edet Otu for his support for the development of the state’s geospatial infrastructure and commitment to innovative approaches to governance and economic development.
The Director General of CRGIA, Mr. William Archibong Jnr., reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to deploying geospatial technology to support development across various sectors of the state beyond its traditional land administration functions.
Archibong described the collaboration as “From Data to Development,” stressing that “accurate and accessible information would provide a stronger foundation for decision-making in the livestock sector.”
The Director of Operations, CRGIA, Mr. Jesam Iwara, explained that “CRGIS will serve as the technological platform for capturing, managing, analysing and visualising livestock information across the state.”
Iwara said the platform would support livestock registration, geolocation of farms and ranches, mapping of livestock facilities, animal identification and traceability, disease surveillance, identification of livestock corridors and strategic facilities.
He added that the system would provide a clearer picture of farmers and other actors across the livestock value chain, enabling government and development partners to better understand the sector and identify areas requiring support.
The initiative is expected to move Cross River from fragmented livestock records to a coordinated digital information system capable of supporting animal health management, investment planning, policy formulation and improved management of the state’s livestock resources.
By Arit Ubi
