By Ameen K. Yassar
About 1, 364, 612 livestock (cows, goats, and sheep) were vaccinated during the 2021 Livestock Vaccination campaign conducted in Kano state by the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project.
The vaccination, which gulped over N80 million, was conducted with funds provided by the Islamic Development Bank, the Lives and Livelihoods Funds, and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development, taking into account the importance of the livestock sector as a backbone of the food system and a contributor to food security, poverty alleviation and agricultural development in Nigeria.
The vaccination also aims to address public health concerns arising from the consumption of products originating from livestock.
The State Project Coordinator, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad announced this during the opening of a one-day workshop and presentation of empowerment packages to beneficiaries of a Cattle fattening empowerment scheme, jointly organized by the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science and Promex Multi-Services Nigeria Ltd.
He said the KSADP also intended to “invest substantially in several livestock development interventions including the construction of a Livestock reference laboratory, annual livestock vaccination, commercial large scale fodder production, engagement of animal health workers, empowerment of livestock fatteners, construction of milk collection centers and mitigation of farmers-herdsmen conflict, designed to create huge economic and food security impact in the state”.
Regarding the collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science and Promex Multi-Services Nigeria Ltd., the State Project Coordinator said the program which was smallholder, was targeted at youth, to enable them to get more involved in meat production and food security.
Malam Ibrahim observed that the collaboration was beyond the training of youth as, through KSADP, the government of Kano state had allocated 10 hectares of land to the institute, at Kadawa, to serve as a demonstration plot for fodder production, adding that development of the land had begun in earnest.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science and Promex Multi-Services Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Abiola Fola-Bolumole, said the partnership was a major milestone, explaining that each of the 14-youth involved would take home a cow and an empowerment package for feed.
While stressing the importance of investing in livestock fattening providing food, job-creating and poverty reduction, he urged beneficiaries of the workshop and livestock fattening scheme to make good use of the knowledge they will gain.
In his remarks, the Managing Director, Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority, KNARDA, Dr. Junaidu Yakubu Muhammad spoke at length on the efforts of the Kano state government to improve livestock breeding, in line with the Federal government’s livestock transformation plan.
One of the beneficiaries, Ibrahim Musa Atamu, expressed appreciation to KSADP, Nigerian Institute of Animal Science and Promex Multi-Services Nigeria Ltd. for finding them worthy of participation in the program, saying it would help them to be self-reliant.
Ameen K. Yassar is Project Communication Specialist at KADP
