MOFA launches livestock development project

Accra, July 16, GNA - Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), on Wednesday, re-launched the Livestock Development Project and cautioned those in charge that they would be closely monitored to forestall the criminal misapplication of funds to ensure its sustenance.

He said most projects implemented by the Ministry failed to impact positively on agriculture production and productivity, because those projects were designed with so much concentration on activities carved in complex words that were not easily understood by the ordinary farmer, "who never benefited from all the numerous training workshops organized under those projects".

Major Quashigah said though livestock and poultry production was very important to Ghana's agricultural development, their contribution of only seven per cent to the agricultural Growth Domestic Product (GDP) was very worrying.

The project, which is jointly sponsored by the government of Ghana and the African Development Bank (AFDB), is aimed at improving infrastructure for livestock breeding as well as restocking farms with quality and high breeding animals to ensure proper expansion of the Sector.

The AFDB, has provided 24.8 million dollars to help to revamp the Sector, and is further providing 5.24 million dollars as a credit component to support private livestock farmers.

Major Quashigah said the project was currently located in 25 districts in seven regions, which included the Upper East; Upper West, Northern and Brong-Ahafo Regions and was expected to run for the next six years.

He stated that the low domestic animal population of 1.2 million for cattle, 5.6 million small ruminants, 17 million birds and half a million pigs made it impossible for Ghana to meet the national meat requirement, as well as the recommended dietary requirement of 183 kilograms per head according the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) standard.

He noted that the project would contribute to poverty reduction, enhance food security and reduce the importation of livestock and dairy products.

"It is expected that the six national livestock breeding stations under the MOFA, which include the Kintampo, Ejura, Amrahia, Pong-Tamale and Sanga stations when fully operational, would produce over 3,000 small ruminants, 2,000 cattle and 5,000 pigs annually as breeding stock to be sold to livestock farmers", he said.

Dr. D.B Etse, Director Animal Production Directorate, said the project would also see to the improvement of feed and forage for livestock and also ensure improved animal husbandry through the training of small-scale producers.

"Funds have been provided to rehabilitate Veterinary Services Laboratories and four quarantine stations at border points in order to build capacity of surveillance teams at six national laboratories", he said.

He stated that disease surveillance and control would be strengthened to help to reduce the mortality rate of various types of livestock.

Dr Etse said out of a total of 455 stakeholders to be trained under the project, 200 had already undergone training in various fields and were into the processing of dairy products.

He encouraged the formation of livestock breeders associations to enhance their chances of soliciting for loans.

Mrs Esther Kasalu-Coffin, AFDB Senior Economist said the bank was committed to ensuring poverty reduction among rural settlements and would ensure that women were given the priority to benefit from loans to expand their businesses.

She called for local participation as well as partnership between stakeholders to ensure increased production.