Cape Coast Agu.7 GNA- The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Major (rtd) Courage Quashiga, on Thursday appealed to researchers with the Ghana Society of Animal Production (GSAP) to help address problems with the livestock sector, and make their findings, impact on national livestock development.

He observed that livestock and poultry production was mainly on subsistence level and there was the need to for the sector to grow. Major Quashiga was addressing the 13th biennial conference of the GSAP at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

The theme for the two-day conference being attended by more than 90 members nationwide is: "the animal industry in the golden age of business; enhancing private sector participation".

He said that the Livestock Development Project, (LDP) being financed jointly by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Ghana, is focused on reducing poverty and contributing to food security.

To achieve this goal, the project would intervene in livestock production and processing, since they are predominantly income-generating activities carried out by poor operators in rural areas, he said.

The Minister said the project which would provide credit facilities to farmers to enhance their businesses, is expected to increase incomes of 19,000 smallholders of livestock and dairy farmers, processors and traders, of whom 45 percent would be women.

He told members of the society that as professionals in the animal industry, they were expected to play an active and complimentary role in support of the government's efforts at improving domestic supply of animal protein to the people.

He noted that despite the country's vast grassland and other feed resources, livestock resources base, was small, about 1.3 million cattle, 2.5 million sheep, 2.7 million goats and 0.37 million pigs with an annual insignificant increment.

"With an annual population growth rate of 2.7 per cent, coupled with increasing urbanisation, demand for animal products would continue to increase and imports would, therefore, have to increase, unless local production can be adequately enhanced", he stressed.

Agricultural growth rate has to increase from the current 3-4 per cent to 5-6 per cent, he said, adding that government intends to reduce the burden and reliance on the public purse for agricultural development and enhance private sector participation.

The FAO representative in Ghana, Mr Anatolio Mba said his organisation, was currently supporting three projects in animal production and related aspects, including small-scale dairy sector development through training of smallholder dairy farmers in dairy farming.

Ghana is again a recipient of technical assistance together with five other West African countries in the control and research into 'foot-and-mouth disease" through a 'regional tropical control pilot project' which has been approved.

Mr Mba said that four 'tele-food projects, in animal production, were also approved for Ghana last Friday, and include pig project at Keta and Atwima, and two small-scale sheep production at Assin Kushea and Wa.

He said these micro-projects are intended to empower groups in rural areas to engage in profitable income generating activities, and also contribute to poverty reduction and food security.

In an address read for him, the Vice-Chancellor of UCC Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Adow Obeng, expressed the hope that participants would at the end of the conference, come out with strategies that would improve animal production and curb the importation of animals, which have sometimes turned out to be unwholesome.

Mr Mba, Dr. Solomon Bekuri an official of the World Bank, and two members of the society, were honoured for their contributions towards the promotion of animal industry in the country. 07 Aug. 2003