The Yobe Pilot Livestock Development Programme (YPLDP) says it would begin house-to-house vaccination of animals against trans-boundary diseases so as to boost dairy and meat production in the state.
Programme Manager of YPLDP, Dr. Mustapha Gaidam, said this, on Monday, in Damaturu, in an interview.
He said that annual exercise, introduced eight years ago, had significantly improved the health of animals in the state.
Gaidam said that the state had adequate the manpower needed to effectively conduct the house-to-house animal vaccination, adding: “All we need is logistics support from the government and international organisations to facilitate movements and coverage.
“We have achieved so much in the last eight years; we want to sustain this achievement and improve on it. That is why we are considering house-to-house animal immunisation, as is the case with polio immunisation in humans.
“The programme is aimed at eradicating common trans-border diseases such as Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Black Quarter (BQ) and Pest Petit Ruminants (PPR), as well as infections such as Rabies and Rinderpest,’’ he said.
Gaidam said that the state government would partner with international organisations to ensure the success of the programme because of the large population of animals in the state.
“The Potiskum, Ngalda, Giedam and Garin Alkali cattle markets are listed among the largest markets in West Africa; we will develop their potential to meet international standards to improve our economy. That is why we are starting with animal health,’’ he said.
Gaidam said that not less than 10 to 20 trucks carrying cattle moved out of each of these markets on a weekly basis.
“We are also considering a public-private partnership for processing meat for local consumption and exports, so as to boost the economy and provide job opportunities for the citizens,’’ he said.
He, however, said that the government had demarcated over 1,300 km of cattle routes, with water points at designated points across the state, to curb farmers/herdsmen conflicts.
“I am happy to say that there was no single case of farmers/herdsmen conflict recorded in our state in the last eight years; we are now considering extending the route to our border with Bauchi State,’’ he added. (NAN)