By Sylvia Kodilichukwu Enugu
To ensure food security in the state, Enugu State government, weekend, flagged off its Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) programme, to train farmers on livestock production.
Performing the ceremony at the Master Skills Development and Service Ltd office, Agbani, Nkanu West Local Government Area (LGA) of the South-East state of Nigeria, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro Industrialization, Hon. Patrick Ubru, who was represented by Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Victor Ngwu, said the programme was in line with Governor Peter Mbah’s promise to eradicate hunger, unemployment and ensure zero head count poverty index in the state.
According to him, the workshop would expose participants to knowledge on how to maximize production, deal with any challenges that may arise in the course of operating their farms, thus ensuring proper management and production of sufficient protein for the state.
Hon. Ubru said: “It is the desire of Enugu State governor, Dr Peter Mbah that the state records zero hunger and zero poverty head count index. It was on this note that he had graciously approved this training and doing his part to ensuring that farmers in Enugu state produce enough for the people to consume and equally export.
“The state is already constructing a lot of rural roads to open up the economy of rural areas, making it easy for the farmers to have easy access to the cities. He is equally building Smart Green Schools and healthcare facilities to ensure that we and our children are healthy and educated. Thousands of Enugu farmers had already undergone different trainings and the Ministry of Agriculture, under his watch, shall continue to support the farmers and prioritize their welfare.”
Speaking earlier, the State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Dr. Ifeyinwa Nnajieze, described L-PRES as a project aimed at developing objectives to improve livestock productivity, resilience and commercialization of selected value chains, while ensuring economic diversification.
According to her, L-PRES is a body sponsored by the World Bank, federal and state governments to ensure food sufficiency while remaining resilient in the fight against food insecurity.
She gave kudos to Gov. Mbah for the support his administration has been giving to farmers, especially those in the livestock space who often undertake trainings and workshops, noting that Mbah’s vision to grow the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from $4.4 billion to $30 billion and eradicate hunger and poverty in the state, cannot be realized without being deliberate about agriculture.
“It’s good to seize this opportunity and acquire much knowledge about the value chain you are operating under livestock. L-PRES has enjoyed the support of the Enugu State government under Governor Peter Mbah who is intentional in ensuring that our state produces sufficient foods for consumption and exports to other states and beyond the country. His partnership with the World Bank and federal government is aimed at assisting the livestock farmers with the knowledge and skills which they will utilize in scaling up production,” the Coordinator said.
Dr. Nnajieze recalled that the State Government in collaboration with National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) recently sponsored the training of 30 persons, most of whom were lecturers from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), to Zaria, Kaduna state, for a two-week training on artificial insemination and the use of modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) equipment to enhance animal productivity.
On his part, the consultant and trainer at the Master Skills Development and Service Ltd., Professor Benjamin Marire, applauded Gov. Mbah for his support to farmers in the state, describing him as a man who knows his onions in the areas of leadership, empowerment and equipping of the people with the much needed resources and knowledge to embrace the agricultural revolution.
According to him, the training will empower the livestock farmers to make input on their farms, ensuring food security and taking care of the protein needs of the state, while maintaining that human development, which the state is undertaking, is a great tool in economic revolution.
