Livestock Production: Oyo State model gets high rating
By Adewale Owoade
The National Project Coordinator, Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), Sanusi Abubakar, has commended the commitment and delivery of livestock production in Oyo State.
Abubakar rated the state high at a 3-day livestock production stakeholders’ engagement by the World Bank Task Team and the National Coordinating Office on the L-PRES Support Mission to Oyo State.
The event targeted the implementation of a $500 million World Bank Project by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to improve productivity, commercialisation and resilience of livestock value chain.
The coordinator said the Governor of the State, Seyi Makinde, has created a conducive environment for investors in livestock production.
Stakeholders were later taken to a livestock production hub at Fashola Farm Oyo to assess the state government’s commitment in dairy and beef production.
They were hosted by the Director General of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), Dr Debo Akande, and the State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Mr Kola Kazeem.
Abubakar, while speaking with journalists at Fashola Farm Settlement in Oyo Town, said Oyo State is one of those states that have keyed into the project.
He said some places have been earmarked as Livestock Service Centre and the project can further enhance Fashola Farm to move it forward.
“We are here in Ibadan, Oyo State, in continuation of our implementation support mission, we went to some states like Bauchi, Gombe and Enugu and we are here in Oyo State to wrap-up the event.
“We have the mandate of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyiari, to hasten up the implementation of this livestock programme in Nigeria, that is why we are going round for the implementation mission.
“We are here in Fashola Farm, a renowned place for livestock breeding and commercialisation of the livestock value chain that has been here since 1968 and we are impressed with what is happening here.
“We went to sites where they are training stakeholders on artificial insemination, livestock and pasture centres and are impressed with what is happening here.
“Thankfully, Oyo State is one of the states that is participating in this project and we are here to see how we can support the state.
“The aim of the project is to improve productivity and commercialisation of livestock value chain.
“If you improve productivity and commercialisation, certainly the citizens will get more money and will also help in our nutrition; you cannot do nutrition without livestock,” Abubakar said.
Also, L-PRES State Project Coordinator, Kazeem, said the mission of the project implementation team is to lend support to Oyo State in livestock production and development.
He disclosed that other agric hubs are currently being established at Ijaye for Ibadan Zone, Eruwa, Ibarapa Zone and others at Oke-ogun and Ogbomoso Zones.
“We have a team from about 16 states of the country who were in the state to witness what the state governor, Seyi Makinde, has been doing in terms of agricultural production and agribusiness development in the state.
“Fashola Farms is a signature project for Oyo State and for other states to emulate.
“When we talk of livestock centres, you cannot find this kind of facility and arrangement that we have in Fashola Agribusiness Hub in any other place.
“That is why everybody here is fascinated with what they have seen,” Kazeem said.
In his remarks, Akande who is also the Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Agribusiness, International Cooperation and Development, said the state has enormous potential in livestock production.
“L-Pres is prepared to support the efforts of the state government to bring foremost acknowledgement of livestock rearing value chain, not just for cattle but also for poultry, piggery and other livestock sectors in the state.
“This we believe, in short, mid and long term, is going to create a major impact on our agricultural value chain especially in the livestock area.
“We will listen to our farmers, we want to understand where their challenges are and through that understanding we would be able to respond to it.
“One good example is what you saw today when we were meeting with all those cooperative farmers that are telling us about the challenges they have on artificial insemination.
“This is part of what L-PRES will be doing as well,” Akande said.
The programme had in attendance World Bank representatives, a representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security and the Executive Director/CEO Development Bank of Nigeria, Mrs Ijeoma Ozulumba.
Also in attendance were the state project coordinators in all the beneficiary states as well as stakeholders in the livestock production sector.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the L-PRES, with the support of the World Bank, will create the enabling environment, including provision of infrastructure, for investors in the livestock value chain in Oyo State. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
