By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Towards improved good animal husbandry practice through capacity building, 100 Community Livestock Service Providers are being trained by the World Bank Assisted Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES ) Project, on improved husbandry practices with special focus on dairy, cattle, sheep and goats management and production.
The objective of the training is to equip community livestock service providers with the knowledge skill to promote and support good Animal Husbandry Practices among small holders’farmers.
The capacity building training is also aimed at enhancing animal production welfare, health and to further contribute to the improvement of livestock production in Bauchi State
Declaring the workshop open on Thursday 16th January, 2025, the permanent secretary of the State ministry of Agriculture Mallam Ibrahim Yusha’u Isah said that is of no doubt that the training has direct impacts to the communities, LGAs and the livestock sector of the State at large.
The permanent secretary therefore charged the participants to avail themselves to opportunity and also share ideas that will help them to improve on service delivery in their respective communities.
“Agriculture, as one of the key components of His Excellency, Governor Bala Mohammed’s “My Bauchi Project Agenda”, is not just about food production; it is about ensuring that our food systems are resilient, safe, and sustainable”.
“Distinguished Gentlemen and Ladies permit me to appreciate the efforts of His Excellency the Executive Governor of Bauchi State Sen. Bala Mohammed for his numerous Supports for the Development of Agricultural Sector in our dear State”, said Mallam Isah.
The permanent secretary said that the Ministry of Agriculture through L-PRES has trained 50 Artificial Insemination Service Providers at NAPRI Zaria, stressing that, the Ministry is very fortunate that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has been supporting the Ministry for effective service delivery.
“I want to urge you to count yourselves lucky as participants of this important training, therefore be good ambassadors of your Local Government and ensure that a step down training is carried out in your respective Local Government Areas”, Mallam Isah said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the State Project Coordinator of L-PRES Musa Adamu One disclosed that, the project in the State has conducted series of activities which include training on One Health for Veterinary, Para-vets, Health and environmental workers, the training of extension agents cross the state, review and adoption of extension materials and that recently, the project has donated 4000 doses of anthrax spore vaccine and facilitated the vaccination of livestock against across the state among other series of trainings.
Adamu One further revealed that the L-Pres Project has conducted a training of 50 service providers on Artificial Insemination at National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) at Shika, Zaria and also trained Women Pastoralist on Milk Hygiene and Collection Protocol.
“We have also conducted a training of 100 livestock farmers on the Usage of Crop Residue as Livestock Feed. Today we are conducting a training of 100 community livestock service providers on good animal husbandry practices. All these training are purposely intended to ensure the development of livestock sector in our dear State”.
While highlighting the thematic areas of L-PRES, the coordinator said that, the project has five components but is structured around three inter related components of:
-Strengthening National institutions for improving the enabling environment and service delivery,
-Value chain enhancement and crisis prevention and conflict mitigation, peace building and protect coordination.
He said that some of the expected outcomes of the training would be seen in Improved livestock productivity, increased in the quality and quantity of livestock products, provides community based livestock services delivery, and Strengthened animal disease prevention.
“On this note, I urge you to pay attention and make a meaningful contribution towards the success of the project in the State”, said the Coordinator.