Cattle Breeding: Sokoto State flags off Pasture Development programme

 

The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has flagged off Pasture Development Programme to improve and transform livestock production and value chain in the state.

Governor Tambuwal made the historic event at Livestock Breeding Center in Dogon Daji town of Tambuwal local government area in Sokoto State.

According to the Tambuwal, the programme was coming at a time when the country’s livestock sub-sector is being faced by the greatest challenges of food insufficiency and other crisis.

He said the programme seeks to develop about 800 to 1000 hecters of land with improved variety and top quality grains and pasture.

Represented by the Commissioner Ministry of Animal Health and Fisheries Development, Professor Abdulkadir Junaid, said the programme has become necessary both at the state and federal government due to population explosion, increase in farmer-herder clashes, cattle rustling, banditry, kidnapping among others.

” It is therefore in keeping up with the growing demands and the urgent need to address the crisis of population explosion, food security, insecurity and dwindling economic fortunes among our people, that the state positioning itself on a sustainable roadmap of livestock transformation in the country,” he said.

 

He explained that with the commencement of the 1st and 2nd phases of the of Sokoto Cattle breeding programme, the state government aims at improving the quantity and quality of local stock through a mix of natural breeding, artificial insemination and embryo transfer technologies.

 

He added: “with the flagging off of the programme today, it serves as a significant step in our committed efforts to ensure that while we make stride to improve the yield of our local breed, we equally compliment that with their feeding requirements.

” while we understand and appreciate the enormity of the challenges we face as people, the state government under our leadership will not relent in our committed effort at bringing out laudable program and initiatives that are geared towards bringing about development and prosperity to our people.”

In his remarks, the Commissioner Ministry of Animal Health and Fisheries Development, Professor Abdulkadir Junaid, who was represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Usman Mustapha, said the state remains committed to cattle breeding programme.

He said the programme was a comprehensive approach that seeks to leverage on the wonders of assisted reproductive Technologies in changing the narrative of livestock production across the state.

 

According to him, Sokoto State identified livestock Industry as upbeat and has commenced investing in the sector through the Ministry since 2015, and that yielded fruitful result in milk production.

He explained that due to lower annual rainfall, growing human population, climate change, insecurity which bring about  scarcity of pasture,  if the programme is properly harnessed it will provide not only feed for livestock, but for the growing human population across the state.

He commended Governor Tambuwal for his continuous support to the ministry towards realising it’s set objectives.

 

Also, the Chairman Tambuwal local government, Nasiru Babata, expressed appreciation to the Ministry and Governor Tambuwal for choosing his community to enjoy the historic programme.

Babata gave the assurance of his local government’s  support towards ensuring food sufficiency not only to the livestock, but to teeming human population in the state.

The District Head of Dogon Daji, Nasiru Shehu, also appluded government for commencing the Programme , which he said will address food insufficiency in the state.

Shehu stated that they would continue to mobilize more farmers stakeholders to key in to the process and enjoy the dividend of the program.

In their seperate Good will messages, CBN, NIRSAL, Zenith Bank, and Bank of Agriculture representatives, Abdu Sule, Dr Ibrahim Haruna, Mukhtar Usman and Bashir Liman, commended Governor Tambuwal for choosing abandoned 30 years unutilized site to launch the programme.

They gave assurances of their full support towards boosting agricultural activities in the state especially in the area of livestock production and among others.

The Miyatti Allah Chairman Tambuwal local government, Muhammad Magaji, expressed happiness with the development, while saying the programme would boost livestock rearing in the state.

 

He also assure the government of the association’s continuous support, but urged other states government to emulate the project to address farmers-herders conflicts across the country.

 

Nnenna.O