Kogi: 39,000 livestock farmers to benefit from $500m World Bank fund

39,000 livestock farmers in Kogi State would soon benefit from the 500 million-dollar World Bank intervention fund aimed at empowering livestock farmers across the country.

The project, which has fully commenced, is expected to capture 30,000 direct beneficiaries and 9,000 female beneficiaries in the state.

The project coordinator for the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) Kogi State Project Implementation Unit, Dr. Olufemi Bolarin, disclosed this in Lokoja during a two-day orientation workshop organised for members of the L-PRES Project Implementation Unit (PIU).

The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) is a multifaceted initiative aimed at enhancing the livestock sector in Nigeria, with Kogi State at the forefront of project implementation.

According to him, the project aimed to improve livestock production through the commercialisation of the business to enhance profits for livestock farmers in the country. He noted that the workshop, which was all about concept, process, and philosophy, would drive the implementation of the project in Kogi State.

Dr Bolarin explained that the World Bank, in its quest to support livestock production in Nigeria, has invested in the life cycle of the project across the country to the tune of $500 million, noting that states have already paid their resettlement funds for the project to commence.

He said, “The States have given us the enabling environment for the project to commence. The target beneficiaries are the livestock farmers, and we are planning that at the end of the day, we should be able to reach 50,000 livestock farmers in Kogi State, and out of this figure, 30 per cent will be allocated to women.

“Even those who rear animals at home and those operating on small, medium, and large scales will benefit from the project, and they will make a lot of profits from the business.”

Dr. Bolarin, who hinted that L-PRES will soon commence profiling livestock farmers in Kogi State, assured that the exercise would last for six years.

“To qualify for the project as a beneficiary, you must have livestock either on a micro, small, medium, or large scale,” he stated.

Speaking on the farmers’ incessant clashes, the project coordinator attributed the crises to heavy competition for natural resources and assured that the project would invest the sum of $40 million to establish small, medium, and large-scale ranches.

“Grasses will be produced so that the animals will have enough food so that the issue of crises that often erupted between the farmers and herders will be minimised, if not eradicated.”

Others who spoke at the event include Dr Oyesola Olumide Oyebanji, who is the Lead Coordinating Consultant for Kogi L-PRES; Pastor Ajuwon Sola Samuel; and Dr Olufemi Bolarin is Kogi State L-PRES State Coordinator.

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