The Kogi State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (Kogi L-PRES) has significantly invested in strengthening the state’s livestock sector by distributing motorcycles and veterinary kits to key personnel and departments.
Enhanced Extension Services and Mobility
A total of 21 motorcycles were distributed to Livestock Extension Agents, providing one for each of the state’s 21 Local Government Areas. This is intended to improve mobility and enhance the delivery of extension and advisory services across livestock value chain clusters.
Additionally, 1,000 livestock extension manuals were given to livestock farmers across the 64 value chain clusters to aid in knowledge transfer and improved practices.
Upgrading Veterinary Capabilities
The state’s veterinary services also received a major boost with the handover of veterinary medical equipment to the Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Livestock Development, Lokoja. This equipment includes:
Laboratory equipment
Meat inspection kits
Ambulatory kits
Surgical kits
These resources are expected to improve animal disease diagnosis, veterinary services, food safety, and security across the state.
Flag-Off and Charge to Beneficiaries
The distribution exercise was flagged off in Lokoja on Saturday by the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr. Olufemi Bolarin. He noted that the initiative was a precursor to a planned stakeholders’ engagement focused on effective livestock extension and advisory services delivery.
Dr. Bolarin explicitly charged the Extension Agents to use the facilities judiciously and strictly for advancing livestock value chain development, cautioning them against use for commercial or private ventures.
He also urged the L-PRES State Project Coordinator, Otaru Abdulkabir, to continue prioritizing staff welfare and remuneration to drive improved productivity in the livestock sub-sector, emphasizing that “The economic power of any nation depends on its level of agricultural transformation as a bedrock of socio-economic development and employment creation.”
Digital and Collaborative Approach
Earlier in the event, the State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Mr. Otaru Abdulkabir, detailed the state’s approach to extension services. He expressed satisfaction with the adoption of the Farmer-to-Farmer Extension and Advisory Service model, where lead livestock farmers and value chain cluster coordinators play active roles.
Mr. Abdulkabir also highlighted that livestock extension services in Kogi have gone digital. Extension workers are now using the KoboTool platform to capture real-time data during service delivery, showcasing their technical proficiency. He assured that the successful collaboration between Kogi L-PRES and the Kogi Agricultural Development Project (ADP) would be sustained.
Stakeholder Support and Call for Action
Dignitaries present, including the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Timothy Ojomah, and the Managing Director of Kogi ADP, Dr. Bello Ogirima, commended the initiative, stating it would further strengthen livestock productivity.
However, stakeholders also collectively urged the government at all levels to address the problem of “ghost farmers” to ensure that only genuine farmers benefit from government support programs. A beneficiary, Mr. Ibrahim Daniel Arome, praised the state government and L-PRES and pledged effective utilization of the resources.
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