In its bid to engender high production of livestock products, most especially beef, goat meat, mutton and dairy milk, the Oyo State Government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Animal Husbandry Services has commenced Artificial Insemination (AI) process for cattle, sheep and goats in the State.
The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Honourable Adeniyi Olabode Adebisi, while presenting a brand new Motorcycle and Artificial Insemination kit donated to Oyo State by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to an inseminator today, at the Ministry’s conference room, stated that the present administration in the State is “Agriculture friendly”.
While appreciating the Federal Government for counting Oyo State worthy to be among the six states to benefit from the National Livestock Breed Improvement Program, wherein an officer from the Department of Animal Husbandry Services was being trained for the Artificial Insemination process, Adebisi assured of more support and enabling environment for further mutually beneficial engagements.
Speaking further, the Honourable Commissioner enjoined the benefiting officer to be serious-minded, assiduous and make good use of the training, the kits and other resources handed to him, noting that it will attract more opportunities to the state if they are maximally utilized.
He added that the road construction and rehabilitation projects embarked upon by the state government are deliberately tailored towards the provision of good road networks in order to allow easy distribution and marketing of agricultural products to targeted areas.
In her remarks, the Director Federal Department of Animal Husbandary Services, Mrs Winnie Lai-Solarin who was represented by Mr Ojedele Tolulope Samuel enjoined the state government and Ministry to support the trainee and follow up adequately in order to make good use of the resources handed over to Oyo State, so as to enable the State to attract more prospects in Federal Government programs.
He stated further that the process has yielded a lot of positive results as twelve inseminations came out successful out of sixteen animals that went through the process on a farm in Oyo State, while litres of diary milk supplies have increased drastically, adding that any interested farmer should contact the Department of Animal Husbandry Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Secretariat, Ibadan.
The National President of Sheep and Goat Breeders Association Alhaji, Wahab Salami in his own remark noted that this type of program is long overdue, however, he expressed appreciation to the present administration in the State for making it sufficient at a time like this.
Speaking further, he opined that among all the aspects of farming, small ruminant animal breeding is the most practised and their products have more nutrients and are healthier for consumption than the red meat-producing animals.
Salami urged the government of Oyo State to pay more attention and invest in livestock farming the way it does for other aspects of agriculture, noting that this is necessary for the production of sufficient healthy meat for consumption by the citizens of Oyo State.
In his own response, the trainee of the program Mr Akeem Haruna expressed gratitude to the Oyo State government and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for the rare opportunity given him to participate in the training and the kit presented to the State to be used on the field while pledging to use the resources at his disposable to make Oyo State proud in the area of animal improvement and production.
Also present at the program were the Oyo State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Kakulu Florence who was represented by Mr Adewumi Abel Adeyemi, Coordinating Director, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Mary Ojutalayo, Director Animal Husbandry Services, Mr Solomon Odedele, other top ministry officials, representatives of various Cattle Breeders Associations in Oyo State, among others.
Omolola Odunoye
Media Officer (MA&RD)
