The Confederation of Traditional Stock Breeders’ Organizations in Africa (CORET), in partnership with ECOWAS has linked twenty six trained youths to key livestock service providers to strengthen employment and improve the dairy value chain in Kaduna and Jigawa States.
Speaking during an interactive session in Kaduna, the Project Coordinator, Dr. Umar Ardo Abdul, said the engagement was organized to connect trained youths with both public and private livestock service providers, enabling them to deliver essential services in their communities particularly promoting youth employment in local milk value chain.
The initiative is part of the ECOWAS Project to Promote Youth Employment in the Dairy Value Chain, a three-year intervention aimed at equipping young people with practical skills and creating income-earning opportunities within the livestock sector.
The Project Coordinator, Dr. Umar Ardo Abdul, explained that the project has profiled one thousand, three hundred and fifty youths in Kaduna and Jigawa States.
According to him, the twenty six beneficiaries are from Kaduna and Jigawa States are now been linked to service providers who will support their work as vaccinators, animal health assistants, extension agents, and livestock input suppliers.
He explained that, the session brought together veterinary professionals, extension workers, artificial insemination technicians, input suppliers, feed producers, and other actors along the livestock value chain to build a strong and functional service network.
Dr. Umar Ardo said the goal is to ensure that the youths apply the skills they have gained to provide essential livestock services, generate income, and support both pastoral and farming communities in their respective locations.
He listed the State Ministry of Agriculture and the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) as key public sector partners, noting that NAPRI remains one of the most reliable institutions in livestock research, vaccine development, and input supply.
The Project Coordinator said the government also plays a regulatory role in animal health, movement, vaccination, and poultry production, while private companies involved in veterinary drugs and livestock inputs form an important part of the support framework for the beneficiaries.
Dr. Umar Ardo emphasized that CORET, as a continental network of traditional livestock breeders, is committed to bridging the gap between government agencies, research institutions, private sector actors, and trained youths to enhance the livestock and dairy value chain.
He described the project as a bridge linking all stakeholders, ensuring that young people work, earn income, and simultaneously provide valuable services that support sustainable livestock production.
In his remarks, the representative of the National Commission for Nomadic Education, Abubakar Lawal Boro, said Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) remain the backbone of sustainable livestock development, as government provides regulation and technical guidance, while private companies supply essential services.
He urged pastoral families to prioritize education by ensuring their children return to school, expressing concern over the growing number of out-of-school children and the impact of insecurity on educational outreach efforts.
One of the participants, Anas Ibrahim described the training as timely and impactful.
He said the interactive engagement was one of the most organized and beneficial they have attended, noting that it broadened their understanding of livestock health, feed management, and service provider collaboration.
Another participant, Rabiu Adamu from Ladugga, commended CORET and its partners for creating a platform that exposes dairy producers to opportunities such as access to quality livestock medicines, feed, and improved pasture seedlings.
COV: Adamu Yusuf
