The Kwara State government has successfully completed capacity training for 1,000 farmers and extension agents on small ruminant production and crop residue processing.
The training programme, organised by Synergy Impact Limited, was supported by the federal government, the World Bank, and the Kwara State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES).
According to the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Engineer Danladi Yakubu Salihu, “the programme has the capacity to improve agricultural productivity in the state.”
He thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the L-PRES project and Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for supporting the programme, noting that it has led to increased agricultural productivity in the state.
Represented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Hon. Sabba Issa Gideon, the Speaker emphasized the programme’s impact on the state’s agricultural sector.
“With 1,000 trained youths in the state, you can imagine the multiplying effect of the training on members of their respective communities. They have learned improved methods of rearing ruminants, formulating improved feeds, and conducting medical treatment for the animals, among other skills,” he said.
Hon. Gideon urged the participants to make rational use of the knowledge acquired during the programme, highlighting the importance of crops and livestock as sources of protein, especially small ruminants.
His words: “Producing small ruminants can serve as a basis for economic growth, even for active civil servants, as it can provide an additional source of income.”
The state L-PRES coordinator, Soji Oyawoye, expressed optimism that the knowledge and skills gained by the participants would enable them to implement agricultural practices in their respective communities.
“As you return to your communities, I urge you to share the knowledge and skills you have acquired with your farmers, colleagues, friends, and family members,” Soji said.
