The Kogi State Government has distributed 21 motorcycles and veterinary kits to livestock workers across its 21 local government areas to enhance animal health services and improve productivity in the state’s livestock sector.
The initiative, implemented under the Kogi Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (Kogi L-PRES), also saw the distribution of 1,000 livestock extension manuals to farmers across 64 livestock value chain clusters.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Lokoja on Saturday, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr. Olufemi Bolarin, said the move was part of efforts to strengthen livestock extension and advisory services in the state.
“The economic power of any nation depends largely on its level of agricultural transformation, which remains the bedrock of socio-economic development and employment creation,” Dr. Bolarin stated.
He urged the beneficiaries to use the motorcycles and other equipment for official purposes only, warning against diversion or misuse for personal or commercial gain.
The commissioner also presented veterinary medical equipment, including laboratory materials, meat inspection kits, ambulatory kits, and surgical kits, to the Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Livestock Development. According to him, the items will improve animal disease diagnosis, food safety, and veterinary service delivery across Kogi State.
The State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Mr. Otaru Abdulkabir, said the project had adopted a Farmer-to-Farmer Extension and Advisory Service model, which allows lead livestock farmers to share knowledge within their value chain clusters.
“Livestock extension services in Kogi have gone digital. Our extension workers now use the KoboTool platform to capture real-time data during service delivery,” Abdulkabir revealed.
He added that the collaboration between Kogi L-PRES and the Kogi Agricultural Development Project had produced measurable results that would be sustained in the coming years.
In their separate remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Timothy Ojomah, the Managing Director of Kogi ADP, Dr. Bello Ogirima, and the State Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Mrs. Abah Helen, commended the initiative. They also urged the government to eliminate “ghost farmers” and ensure that only genuine livestock farmers benefit from government interventions.
A beneficiary, Mr. Ibrahim Daniel Arome, expressed appreciation to the state government and L-PRES for the gesture, pledging to make effective use of the motorcycles and manuals for their intended purpose.
“This intervention will make our work easier and help us reach more farmers with timely information and services,” Arome said.
