FAO training on livestock disease prevention, management to save over 600,000 livestock

Correspondence from Northern Region

The Savannah Regional Director of Agriculture, Seidu Sulemana, has disclosed that the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) training program for veterinary officers has equipped them with the skills to train livestock farmers in disease prevention and management, which could save over 600,000 livestock in the region.

According to him, the trainers' program organized for veterinary technical officers from North, North East, and Central Gonja Districts of the Savannah Region will empower them to impact the knowledge learned on the farmers in the three districts, which will go a long way in increasing the productivity of the farmers.

Mr Sulemana said the three districts had a combined cattle population of 217,102, a sheep population of 202,233, and a goat population of 213,878.

He, however, noted that livestock diseases such as contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and anthrax in cattle, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) disease, also known as goat and sheep plague among small ruminants, have been some of the major killer diseases of livestock in the region, with farmers losing thousands of livestock annually.

The Savannah Regional Director of Agriculture was speaking in Tamale on Friday at the closing of a five-day intensive training for the veterinary staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture from the three districts, organized by the FAO.

“The Savannah Region has a large population of both small ruminant and cattle; however, we are still bedeviled with so many challenges, especially diseases. Most of our farmers lack the skills to treat their animals. Most often than not, it is as a result of the limited number of staff we have who cannot reach out to all the farmers.” Mr Sulemana said.

He added that “One of the most serious diseases that easily wipes the out livestock very fast is the PPR, and this can easily wipe them out within a season. With the cattle, we have the CBPP, which is the vine pneumonia; this is another disease that wipes away our animals. In addition is anthrax and so many disease, the spirit of vaccination of animals is very low among our people.”

Mr Sulemana urged livestock farmers in the region to cultivate the habit of vaccinating their livestock to save them from the huge losses they incur annually.

He also appealed to the FAO to support the region with livestock vaccines to help save farmers from making avoidable losses.

Food Security Response Project

The training program is part of a three-year project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Regional Directorate, and the District Departments of Agriculture (DDAs).

Launched in 2023 by the European Union in partnership with the FAO and MoFA, the project aims to improve food and nutrition security and sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable rural farming populations in six selected districts of the Savanna, North East, and Upper East regions of Ghana.

According to the FAO, the Food Security Response Project will address the challenges of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition through the promotion of Good Agronomic Practices, Good Animal Husbandry Practices, and Agricultural Business to improve crop and animal production and value chains development.

It said the project is also targeting 10,000 direct beneficiaries, including smallholder crop and livestock producers, especially women, youth, and people living with disabilities in over 72 communities in the selected districts.