By Mrecy Akuba
The Livestock Productivity and Resilience. Support (L-PRES) project has validated the Stakeholders engagement development plan in Benin City.
The validation meeting which had representatives from Edo State Cattle Rearers Mayeti Allah, Poultry farmers association , Vertirinary doctors association, CSOs, Traditional Institutions, Ministry of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Budget and Statics, unanimously reaffirmed the stakeholders engagement document
The project which is sponsored by federal government in partnership with the World Bank to assist in developing L-PRES targeted selected states like Sokoto, Adamawa, Ondo , Taraba, Kogi, Pleateu , Edo and Delta State in the six geo-political zones in South-West, North-West, North-East, North+ Central, South-South and South-East respectively.
The states which were selected were based on valued chain and comparative advantage including sub sector growth prospects .
Addressing participants in the validation meeting, Consultant. Ebuke Olajhite Eseiri said the goal of the project is to lmprove productivity and commercialization of targeted livestock production system and strengthen the resilience of livelihood affected by farmers herders crisis
He further emphasized that the validated document would be sent to the necessary quarters, before it would be published and circulated across Nigeria.
He however called on the representatives of the various stakeholders to go back to their associations and stepdown the content of the document to their members.
He said, such move would enable all the stakeholders to understand the framework of operation.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the validation meeting, the President of CONGO, Dr. Bathelomew Okoudu , commended the Federal Government and World Bank for engaging stakeholders with the aim to proffer solutions to farmers herders crisis
He noted that if the recommendations that were made are implemented to the latter, that farmers herders crisis would be a thing of the past.
Speaking also, the leader of Fulaani- Saraki in Edo State, Alhaji Mohammed SDSAL commended the initiative and expressed conviction that the document if implemented would bring solution to the lingering crisis.
Earlier, Dr Osas Osaigie who came to the venue of the event with World Bank monitoring team pointed out that Edo State is short of vertimsry doctors.
According to her, the shortage of Vertimsry doctors is affecting the effective monitoring of the abattoirs in the State.
She however appeared that her complains should be looked into by the appropriate quarters to enable the realization of the aim of the L-PRES