The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project has organized a 6-day training for livestock extension agents across the 18 local governments of Ondo State.
The agents, including Extension Officers, Local Government Agric Directors/Officers, Veterinary Personnel, and Community Livestock Service Providers, were trained on the theme “Modern Technology for the Various Livestock Value Chains – Poultry, Pig, Sheep & Goat.” In Akure, the state capital.
Aside from the theoretical aspects of the training, the trainee also embarked on a field visit to selected farms for the practical knowledge.
Declaring the event open, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, High Chief Olayato Aribo, emphasized that the Governor Aiyedatiwa-led administration is embracing agriculture as an inevitable new normal to boost food security.
Augustine Adeoye, Communication/ICT Officer, Ondo L-PRES reports that Chief Aribo who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Foluke Tunde-Daramola, stressed that the topics lined up for the training would enable participants to gain knowledge that engenders more effective ways of monitoring animal health, tackling environmental issues, and optimizing the use of feed and rations.
According to him, “We must thank the present administration, both at the Federal and State levels, under the able leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and our Governor in the Sunshine State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, for their special interest in livestock farming, being the very first time in the annals of the Nation that a project would be specifically designed for livestock farmers.
“Application of modern technologies is associated with reproductive management, stages, and optimizes breeding programs accordingly. Thus, it will help improve their resilience, functional capacity, and adaptive physiology of animals.” He added.
He enjoined participants to replicate the knowledge gained during the training to farmers, which was the essential justification for the training.
Addressing the participants, the National Project Coordinator (NPC) of the L-PRES project, Dr. Sanusi Abubakar, represented by the Extension Specialist from the National Coordination Office of the project, Dr. Umar Suleiman, lauded Governor Aiyedatiwa-led administration for showing commitment to the implementation of the project in the state with the prompt payment of the required counterpart fund.
He said the training was an important aspect in the project’s implementation
Earlier in his address of welcome, the State Project Coordinator of the L-PRES project, Mr. Olufemi Adeogun, noted that the state L-PRES Project focuses on three value chains of poultry, pig, sheep, and goat, as well as processors and marketers along the three selected value chains, adding that the trainee would be more enlightened about the best practices in livestock farming.
In their goodwill messages, the Project Manager of Agricultural Development Project, Mrs. Magret Adesina, the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Adebayo Ehinmowo, and the Director of Animal Husbandry Services in the ministry, Mr. Raphael Ojo, enjoined the participants to pay keen attention to the various topics scheduled for the training.
Two participants, Mr. Victor Orisamika and Mrs. Oladedun Abiola, promised to replicate the knowledge garnered at the training to livestock farmers to achieve the project’s development objectives.
Four resource persons from the National Animal Production and Research Institute (NAPRI) in Zaria, Kaduna State, took the participants on different topics relating to the selected value chains.
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