Federal Government supports 300 Taraba livestock farmers with pasture seeds, supplementary feeds

By Apex News Exclusive Last updated Aug 12, 2023 0

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By Celestine Ihejirika, Jalingo

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Saturday distributed millions of naira worth of relief materials to over 300 livestock farmers who were affected by flood in Taraba in 2022. Flagging off the exercise in Jalingo, the state capital, the Director, Department of Animal Husbandry Services, Mrs Winnie Lai-Solarin explained that federal government was mindful of the role of livestock farmers in the sustenance of the food security value chain in the country. She said that the ministry has provided the affected farmers with 600 hundred of bags of livestock pasture seeds for growing of improved grass and 600 hundreds of bags of nutrition cake with the aim of boosting the quality and quantity of beef and diary products from their farms.

According to her, with the concentration and encouragement of improved grass and production of protenous cake for the animals, the ministry aimed at reducing the age-long conflicts between livestock and crop farmers to the bearest minimum. “Gamba grass and andropogon seeds are simple to grow and good food supplement for animals that would, over time, reduce the frequency of movement of livestock from one area to another in search of pasture.

She reassured the farmers that government would continue to render support to them to continue to play their roles in food security value chain.

In his goodwill message at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary Taraba State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Mr Sale Pavali recalled that Taraba was among states that experienced heavy flooding which destroyed not only crops, but also various categories livestock across many local government areas While appreciating the intervention of the federal government, Mr Pavali said the Taraba State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security was considering an enhanced partnership with the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project to improve the state’s livestock sector.

Hajiya Aishatu Ardo, a beneficiary of the exercise who spoke on behalf of others, appreciated the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for it’s timely intervention and assured that the support would be properly utilized to improve the quality of livestock in their farms.

Aishatu who is also the Chief Executive of Ardo Yahya Global Ventures, as well as State Chairman of the Fulbe Development and Cultural Organization (FUDECO) observed that with the government attention to the livestock sector, farmers would do well in improving their daily supplies of beef and diary products for the Nigerian markets.

Apex News Exclusive reports that hundred of affected livestock farmers from flood-prone local governments of the state benefited from the federal government’s gesture.