A three-day workshop for the training of community `based volunteers among landless farmers, in the identification and treatment of common diseases in poultry, sheep and goats had ended at Nkurakan in the Yilo-Krobo Municipality.

The training programme forms part of alternative livelihood project for poverty alleviation being organised by the Krobo-Danish Association (KROBODAN), a non-governmental organization based in the Yilo Krobo Municipality.

Speaking at the formal opening of the workshop, Mr Joshua Nyumuah, Secretary General of KROBODAN said, effect of climate change was more drastic on crops now than on livestock in the country.

Therefore, rearing of poultry and livestock in the Krobo area was increasingly becoming an alternative means of livelihood in many farming communities.

He explained that, due to large markets and increasing demand for poultry and meat products, the price of poultry and meat products keep increasing in the Krobo area and therefore making the rearing of poultry and meat a major sources of income to many farmers in the rural communities in the Yilo Krobo area.

He explained that, under the project, KROBODAN provides the parent stock of animals to the farmers and also offer training and drugs for the vaccination of the animals and birds.

Dr Ebenezer Gamli, a veterinary surgeon and resource person for the workshop, said the workshop was aimed at training the participants in basic animal health to support the rearing of poultry and livestock in their communities.

He explained that, this had become necessary because of the breakdown in the regular provision of veterinary services and so the programme was to fill in the gap for the volunteers to refer cases above their competence to the district veterinary officers.