Sokoto inaugurates Artificial Insemination, Embryo Transfer Technology Center

Sokoto State Government has inaugurated modern Artificial Insemination center and Embryo Transfer Technology Center to enhance state’s livestock production and income generation.

Commissioning the Center, the President, National Veterinary Council NVC and Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Aishatu Abubakar-Baju, lauded the efforts of Sokoto State government for executing the unique programme.

She urged other states to emulate the distinct initiative of transforming livestock sector to meet with population demands.

Abubakar-Baju said the center along with other auxiliary veterinarian places have placed Sokoto State high in the area of animal production for subsistence and commercial purposes.

She lamented government’s always attached emphasis on crop production neglecting livestock services which were interwoven in terms of agricultural production and employment generation to population.

According to her, Sokoto State government efforts equates the NVC innovative programmes including digital upgrade, research and knowledge sharing, ensuring professionalism in veterinary practice as well as provision of standard platforms for healthy living, economic rejuvenation and ensuring food security.

Inauguration of Task Force
In a related development, the National President also inaugurated a 9-member Sokoto State Veterinary Practice Premises Task Force which will be providing professional licence to veterinarians, register veterinary service outlets with routine inspections, sanctioning of defaulters and ensure professional practice in the state.

The National President said the Task Force will serve as platform to checkmate quackery, ensure quality administration of vaccines and allied animal medications along breeding of professional service providers.

Earlier, the Commissioner Ministry of Animal Health and Fishery Development, Professor Abdulkadir Junaid, said the sites along with Embryo Transfer Technology Component were part of Cattle Breeding Production project initiated by the state government.

Junaidu said the concept of breeding programme is to improve the performance of indigenous livestock breeds through a mix of natural breeding, artificial insemination and embryo transfer technology.

He explained the efforts were initiated earlier than the lunched National Livestock Transformation Plan by the Federal Government which has become in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s diversification agenda.

The Commissioner noted that the country’s livestock sector has been bedevilled with what hindered its growth and the project was a strategy to address the challenges.

”The growth in human population, expansion in human settlements, desertification, drying up of water points and abstraction of traditional cattle routes has aggravated these challenges.

”This is even worrisome when we consider the global demand for livestock products being projected to grow by more than 70 per cent by the year 2030”, Junaidu said.

He explained that Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s administration implemented programmes geared towards responding to challenges along with enhancing the economic well-being of citizens who mostly rely on farming and animal husbandry for their livelihood.

”The ministry has 122 veterinary doctors working alongside with livestock and fishery personnel in the civil service whose competency and energies harness to drive development initiatives.

”State government has commissioned pasture development component with more than 1000 hectares of land also with producing grains of the breeder project.

”We have laboratories, ambulatory vehicles, x-ray and ultrasound machines including mobile ones, and ensuring annual livestock vaccinations.

”State also established inspectorate of disease surveillance and control, demarcated grazing reserves to prevent farmer-harder clashes for efficient services,” he added.

He appealed for NVC to establish a followership Center in Sokoto in recognition of Veterinarian populations and training avenue platforms which will surely facilitate having more professionals and advance knowledge development.

The National President of NVC along with other Council members have inspected all the project sites, milk production factory, veterinary clinics and other places and applauded Sokoto state government’s commitment to fish and livestock production programmes.

Nneka Ukachukwu