By ALI MUHAMMAD RABIU
At least 26,000 Livestock Farmers across 20 states are to benefit from private veterinary services deployed by the national Livestock and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) to improve animal productivity.
The National Project coordinator of Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), Dr. Sanusi Abubakar stated this while speaking at the Launching of the Pilot Implementation of the private veterinary services Programme organised by Kwara state L-PRES in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development with the support of the World bank held in Ilorin.
Dr. Abubakar said 360 private veterinary doctors will be deployed across 1,000 clusters to provide support to the livestock farmers to enhance animal health.
He said the available statistics shows that majority of the veterinary services are being operated in the urban areas.
According to him, Kwara State is one of the first stars with the private veterinary services in the country.
Dr.Abubakar said the programme has been able to execute about two strategic programmes in the State which included a model veterinary hospital, a strategic animal holding facility, as well as a waste management plant to help livestock farmers.
The National coordinator noted that the project will also provide a clinic and vaccine storage facilities to improve animal productivity.
He thanked the state government and other stakeholders for supporting the projects to enable farmers live a better life.
In his address, Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by the Secretary to the state government, Professor Jibril Mamman -Saba, commended the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), for implementing projects that are geared towards the development of the State.
He said the project would have direct benefit to livestock farmers and by extension increase revenue to the State.
On her part, the Kwara State Commissioner for livestock Development, Mrs Oloruntoyosi Thomas said the initiative is aimed at improving access to veterinary services for livestock Farmers, strengthen public private collaboration in animal health, enhance disease prevention, control and resistance of the livestock sector.
She said the state government has made the State a reference point to livestock business in the country.
The Commissioner explained that the State is not just building structures but building projects to support the people.
She hinted that the State has started artificial insemination to improve livestock productivity, adding that water and pastures have also been provided to prevent farmers/herders crisis and support the business.
Thomas said the State has over 8,000 livestock value chains identified to improve livelihoods, adding that 10 veterinarians have been employed to assist the farmers in their animals health programme.
She noted that following the growing population and the recent transformation in the livestock sector, there was the need to engage the private professionals veterinary services to serve the populace.
The Commissioner said the exercise will help in early detection of animal diseases and timely intervention.
She said when there is improve animal health it will translate in improve meat, milk and more money in the pockets of the farmers.
In his presentation, the L-PRES National Animal Health Specialist, Dr. Mustapha Muhammed said the programme will help the livestock farmers improve the health of their animals.
He said the farmers would be able to save money and prevent wastages through reduction in death of their animal.
According to him, the programme will create about 780 jobs in 13 states across the country
In his goodwill message, the Chief Veterinary officer of Nigeria, Dr Samuel Anzaku, Represented by Dr. Abdulkareem Durosinlorun said the success of the programme should not be determined by the distribution of the materials.
He said the performance based nature of the programme makes the service very important.
He urged the veterinarians to discharge their services with utmost professionalism.
In his speech, the President of Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Professor Matthew Adamu, said the council will ensure that the mandate of L-PRES are achieved.
He advised the 10 private veterinary service providers and the trainees to discharge their duties professionally and use the materials given to them for the purposes they are meant for.
In his address, the Kwara state Project coordinator of Livestock and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), Mr Olusoji Oyawoye said the project is doing well in the State and that the impact is being felt by both livestock farmers and other stakeholders in the value chain.
He said the beneficiaries across the 16 local government areas of the state are increasing daily.
Oyawoye said the project has provided water pastures and other incentives for livestock farmers.
He said more than 2,0000 farmers have been trained in major aspects of livestock farming with over 3,000 beneficiaries of different empowerment items.
In his goodwill message, the Ardon Ardodi of Kwara state, Alhaji Adamu Ojonla -Mahmud represented by Babatunde Mahmud said the initiative is a welcome development to the Fulani livestock farmers in the State and the country as a whole.
He advised the livestock farmers to take advantage of the opportunity provided to them by the government to protect their investments and means of livelihood.
Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
