Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, has conducted training for 220 Community Animal Health Workers, engaged by the project to render veterinary services across the state.
This is contained in a statement released by the project’s communications specialist Ameen Yassar on Saturday in Kano.
The newly recruited workers were trained by KSADP with funding from the Islamic Development Bank and Lives and Livelihood Funds, LLF.
According to Yassar, the exercise was conducted in collaboration with Smartex Global Resources Ltd.
KSADP’s Livestock Specialist, Dr. Garba Saleh, explained that the training was aimed at equipping the new Community Animal Health Workers with veterinary techniques in line with international best practices.
“The expected outcomes from the training include improvement of animal health and maximizing animal products, growth of income generation from livestock, better access to markets and eventually, securing the livelihoods of pastoralists and rural dwellers,” he added.
Addressing the trainees, the State Project Coordinator, KSADP, Malam Ibrahim Garba , said they were engaged to make veterinary services available to all communities, since efficient extension delivery requires private sector involvement.
Garba stated that they were also expected to link breeders to animal insemination services, connect pastoralists to vet clinics even as they would be mentored and guided by professionals, employed by the State Ministry of Agriculture.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Balarabe Karaye emphasized that the trainees would be supervised by veterinarians and would assist in periodic livestock vaccination campaigns.
For quality assurance of their services, he announced that KSADP would register them with the Veterinary Council of Nigeria to enable them to get professional practice licenses.
Yassar said that the participants were given a Starter kit each, containing protective clothing, tool boxes, cold boxes, assorted drugs and equipment as well as branded hand bags.
According to him, the workers are expected to offer services for a fee in their communities, thus, enabling them to get some income and restock.
KSADP is a project of the Islamic Development Bank, Lives and livelihood Funds (LLF) and the Kano State government.
Its primary objective is to contribute to reducing poverty and strengthening the food and nutritional security of the State by developing agro-pastoral production systems.
