World Bank boosts livestock production with $500m, empowers 30,000 farmers in kogi

A total of 30,000 farmers in kogi state have been empowered in the 500 million-dollar World Bank intervention fund encoded under the livestock productivity and Resilience support project (L-PRES). The state L-PRES project coordinator, Dr. Olufemi Bolarin, disclosed this during project orientation workshop organised for members of the L-PRES Project Implementation Unit (PIU) which kicked […]

A total of 30,000 farmers in kogi state have been empowered in the 500 million-dollar World Bank intervention fund encoded under the livestock productivity and Resilience support project (L-PRES).

The state L-PRES project coordinator, Dr. Olufemi Bolarin, disclosed this during project orientation workshop organised for members of the L-PRES Project Implementation Unit (PIU) which kicked off on Thursday in Lokoja.

He said 9,000 out of the 30,000 beneficiaries to be empowered from the sum of 500m dollars in the state in the L-PRES are expected to be women.

According to the state project coordinator of L-PRES, the project is a multifaceted initiative aimed at enhancing the livestock sector in Nigeria.

While Bolarin stated that the State is at the forefront of project implementation, he stressed that the project is aimed at improving livestock production through the commercialisation of the business to enhance profits for livestock farmers in the country.

He said the L-PRES project components is designed to address critical aspects of livestock development and management, including strengthening national institutions, enhancement of value- chain performance and crisis prevention and management, conflict mitigation and peace building.

Explaining further, he said the World Bank has invested in the life cycle of the project across the country to the tune of $500 million in its bid to support livestock production in Nigeria.

He added that states have already paid their resettlement funds for the project to commence, noting that the workshop was centred on the concept, process, and philosophy in order to drive the implementation of the project in Kogi State.

He said : The target beneficiaries are the livestock farmers, and we are planning that at the end of the day, we should be able to reach 30,000 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.”

The exercise would last for six years and a beneficiary must have livestock either on a micro, small, medium, or large scale to qualify for the project.

The resource persons include, Dr Oyesola Olumide Oyebanji, the Lead Coordinating Consultant for Kogi L-PRES; Pastor Ajuwon Sola Samuel; and Dr Olufemi Bolarin, Kogi State L-PRES State Coordinator.