IN a bid to engender high production of livestock products, especially beef, goat meat, mutton and dairy, the Oyo State government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Animal Husbandry Services) has commenced artificial insemination (AI) for cattle, sheep and goats in the state.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Adeniyi Olabode Adebisi, disclosed this while presenting a motorcycle and artificial insemination kit, donated to Oyo State by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, to an inseminator at a ceremony at the ministry’s conference room.
Adebisi said the Governor ‘Seyi Makinde-led administration in Oyo State was Agriculture-friendly and would welcome support and partnerships that would improve agriculture in the state.
While expressing appreciation to the Federal Government for counting Oyo State worthy to be among the six states to benefit from the National Livestock Breed Improvement Programme, wherein an officer from the department of Animal Husbandry Services is trained for the artificial insemination process, Adebisi assured of more support and enabling environment for further mutually-beneficial engagements.
The Commissioner enjoined the benefiting officer to take the job seriously and be assiduous just as he is expected to make good use of the training, the kits and other resources handed to him.
He noted that making a good and maximal use of the training and the facilities would attract more opportunities to the state.
He said the road construction and rehabilitation projects embarked upon by the state government were deliberately tailored towards 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 programmes.
According to Lai-Solarin, the process had yielded positive results as 12 inseminations came out successful out of 16 animals that went through the process in a farm in Oyo State, while liters of dairy supplies had increased significantly.
She advised any interested farmer to contact the Department of Animal Husbandry Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Secretariat, Ibadan.
The National President, Sheep and Goat Breeders Association, Alhaji Wahab Salami, in his remark, noted that this type of programme was “long-overdue” and expressed appreciation to the present administration in the state for bringing it at a time like this.
Salami noted that among all the aspects of farming, small ruminant animals breeding is the most practiced and that their products had “more nutrients and are healthier for consumption than the red meat producing animals.”
He urged the state government 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.”
The trainee of the program, Mr. Akeem Haruna, expressed gratitude to Oyo State government and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for the opportunity given him to participate in the training and for the kit presented to the state for field work.
Haruna pledged to use the experience and the resources at his disposable to make Oyo State proud in the area of animal improvement and production.
A statement by the Media Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Omolola Odunoye, said 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; among other top ministry officials and representatives of various cattle breeder associations in Oyo State.
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