Taraba, Yobe States deepen collaboration with World Bank-backed L-PRES project

NIGERIA – The Nigerian government is intensifying its efforts to combat livestock diseases and enhance animal health systems through the World Bank-supported Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, with Taraba and Yobe States leading recent initiatives. 

The project, which is being implemented across 20 states, is designed to improve disease detection, enhance productivity, and boost resilience in cattle, sheep, goat, poultry, and other livestock value chains.

In Taraba State, the programme is equipping veterinary officers and animal health technologists with tools to prevent and control outbreaks. At a training session in Jalingo, State Project Coordinator Hananiah Albert underscored the urgency of the work.

“Livestock diseases such as Anthrax, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Hemorrhagic Septicemia, and African Swine Fever continue to disrupt production and trade in Taraba, significantly affecting farmers’ livelihoods and threatening food security,” Albert said.

He noted that delays in identifying outbreaks and gaps in communication have worsened the impact on farmers. 

“What makes these outbreaks more devastating is the delay in detection and the gaps in reporting and coordination among field officers and response systems. This is why L-PRES is working to build a collaborative platform where all stakeholders can work together for effective surveillance and control.”

Albert added that the initiative goes beyond disease control, aiming to strengthen Nigeria’s emergency response systems and make livestock farming more commercially viable.

Taraba State’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Nicholas Namessan, affirmed the government’s commitment to the project, stressing the need for partnerships. 

“Disease control should not be left to the government alone. We need continued collaboration with private animal health professionals, community leaders, and farmers to build a more resilient and productive livestock sector,” Namessan said.

Yobe commits ₦80 million to livestock health

In neighbouring Yobe State, the government has announced a counterpart contribution of ₦80 million (US$52,000) for the project, covering the period from 2023 to 2026. State Project Coordinator Adama Madaki revealed this during a briefing in Damaturu.

She explained that L-PRES, launched in December 2022, is jointly funded by the World Bank, state governments, and beneficiary communities. Yobe has chosen to prioritise cattle, sheep, and goats, leveraging its comparative advantage in these value chains.

According to Madaki, the project has already recorded major milestones. These initiatives include the procurement of 700 crop residue crushers and 20 solar-powered refrigerators for livestock farmers and butchers, the installation of 71 solar-powered boreholes in grazing reserves and pastoralist communities, and the establishment of five pasture demonstration sites across the state. 

Veterinary clinics in Potiskum, Nguru, and Damaturu have also been rehabilitated and equipped with modern laboratory facilities, while artificial insemination centres have been set up in Nguru and Jakusko.

Other interventions include building a modern livestock market in Geidam, constructing slaughter slabs in various communities, and training more than 600 veterinary doctors, farmers, and environmentalists in animal husbandry, waste management, and conflict resolution.

Madaki praised Governor Mai Mala Buni for his strong support, which she said has been vital for the project’s success.

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