Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has launched the distribution of 100 motorcycles and 5,000 enzymes to agricultural extension agents and livestock farmers.
The governor said the scheme was part of efforts to increase food production and enhance access to nutritious food.
AbdulRazaq also presented one Toyota Hilux to the department of livestock services in the state Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the mobility of its field officers.
The programme was organised by the ministry under the Livestock Productivity and Resilient Support Project (L-PRES) implementation.
AbdulRazaq said the distribution of vehicles and enzymes underscored the commitment of his administration to food and nutrition security.
He said the initiative aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to reposition the present and reshape the future of the agricultural sector.
“To stamp out farmers-herders conflicts, we have also constructed various boreholes and rehabilitated some non-functional ones with water troughs along the livestock routes and other strategic places across the state,” the governor said.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Mamman Jibril, AbdulRazaq listed other interventions of the government for livestock farmers in the state to include the training of 700 extension agents and farmers on small ruminant production and feed processing for improved utilisation.
“In our efforts to ensure that our livestock farmers have access to quality and timely treatment of their animals, the Ministry of Agriculture has recently commenced statewide mass anthrax vaccination exercises across the 16 local governments of the state,” he said.
The governor commended the World Bank, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Islamic Development Bank and African Development Bank among other partners for supporting the government on the L-PRES project.
The commissioner for agriculture and rural development, Mrs Oloruntoyosi Thomas, said the roles of extension agents in providing support for farmers and improving food security cannot be over emphasised.
He thanked the governor for his huge investment in the agricultural sector.
State project coordinator for L-PRES, Mr Olusoji Oyawoye, said the gesture will not only enhance the capacity of the beneficiaries to reach more farmers across remote areas, but will also improve the speed and efficiency with which they can deliver the services.
