Ministry secures ADB loan to revamp livestock sector

Hohoe, Aug 5, GNA - Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Food and Agriculture, has said the African Development Bank (ADB) is to provide a loan of 24.8 million dollars to revamp the livestock sector under a livestock development project.

This was contained in a speech read on his behalf by Mrs. Anna Nyamekye, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, at the launch of the Livestock Development Project in the Volta Region at a durbar of chiefs and people at Hohoe on Monday.

Maj. Quashigah said the project, to be located in 25 districts in seven regions of the country, would run for six years.

The beneficiary regions are Upper West, Upper East, Northern, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Greater Accra and Volta.

The districts are, Wa, Jirapa and Lambushie in the Upper East Region, Bawku East, Frafra, Sissala and Builsa in the Upper West Region, Tamale, Tolon-Kumbungu, Savelugu, East Mamprusi, Saboba, Central Gonja and Gushiegu in the Northern Region and Ejisu-Juaben, Ejura Sekyere and Kumasi in Ashanti.

The rest are Dangbe East and Accra in Greater Accra and Juapong, Hohoe, Adidome and Nkwanta in the Volta Region, Kintampo and Atebubu in the Brong Ahafo.

Maj Quashigah said the five main components of the project are the development of animal production, development of animal health, capacity building, project management and provision of credit.

He said the main activities of the project would include animal breeding, control of major animal diseases, improvement of animal husbandry through the provision of short and medium term credit for financing, production, processing and marketing as well as training of staff, farmers and entrepreneurs.

The Minister said six national livestock breeding stations would be rehabilitated and restocked to constitute the source of supply of various types of genetically improved breeding stock to farmers. Maj. Quashigah said 5.24 million dollars has been set aside as loans for private farmers to enable them buy livestock for breeding, build animal houses, and buy animal feed and veterinary products, process and market livestock and livestock products.

He said the government has also provided 0.28 million dollars to keep livestock farmers healthy.

He said the amount would therefore, be used to campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS, guinea worm and malaria.

Under the capacity building component of the project, 2,500 livestock farmers, processors and traders would be trained in addition to 50 professional staff, 750 agricultural extension agents and 60 community livestock workers.

Some 44 dams and 28 boreholes would be provided to reduce the plight of livestock farmers during the dry season.

He said the national livestock stations that are currently under-stocked and needed restocking would be provided with livestock. Pong Tamale would be provided with 1000 ewes, 1000 does, 500 cows and 100 sows.

Kintampo and Ejura stations would get 1000 female goats and 1,000 female sheep respectively.

Babile would be given 200 sows while Amrahia takes 400 sanga cows and Nungua 200 sows.

Dr Daniel B. Etse, Director of Animal Production, said said the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has provided funds for MOFA to procure dairy equipment and train MOFA staff and small-scale dairy farmers and processors.

He said the ministry would provide Northern Region with 32 dams and 16 boreholes, Upper West and Upper East, six dams and three boreholes each and Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions with three boreholes each. Mr James Komla Dogbe, Hohoe District Chief Executive (DCE), said the Hohoe District Assembly has selected agriculture as one of its priorities in its development plan.

He said the assembly was supporting the construction of a small-scale irrigation project at Hove near Hohoe to support livestock.