Kwara State Government has concluded a five-day capacity-building training program for 100 livestock farmers and value chain actors on commercial fodder production and value chain addition.
The program organized by the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), a World Bank-assisted project, was conducted by the Centre for Dryland Agriculture, Bayero University Kano (BUK) in partnership with S G Imperial Concept Limited held at the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) at Kabba-Owode, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training, the State Project Coordinator, Mr. Olusoji Oyawoye who was represented by the Project Extension Officer, Mr. Nureni AbdulRasaq said the initiative was capable of ensuring food security, improving economic livelihood, and addressing persistent farmers/herders’ clashes in the country.
Mr. Oyawoye commended the commitment of the participants to the transformation of the livestock sector, adding that the knowledge and skills gained during the training would help in the commercialization of fodder production and value chain addition, and enhance the livelihood of farmers, and communities and contribute to food security in the State.
“Fodder is the production of feeds for animals. There are incessant farmer/herders clashes because animals are competing with humans for food.
“So, by the time we have farmers going fully into fodder production, that’s employment for them. It will reduce clashes because pastoralists now know where to source feeds for their animals and reduce pressure on human food,” he explained.
On his part, the lead facilitator from CDA, Dr. Akeem Ajeigbe, projected that Nigeria’s population would hit 300 million in the next 25 years, and if we are to feed ourselves, there is a need to mechanize, intensify, and commercialize agriculture.
According to him, the participants were trained in both theory and practical aspects of fodder production, adding that they were taught how to process fodder from various crop residues into livestock feeds, including forest trees”.
Also Speaking, Mallam Abdulraheem Yahaya Onikpe, a retired federal civil servant and one of the participants, disclosed that the training would afford livestock farmers the wherewithal to feed their animals at minimal cost.
He then thanked the State government and its partners for allowing them to improve their knowledge in the livestock farming business.
Credit: Yusuf Ganiyu Adebisi
