FCTA and Southern Sahara to partner in livestock Farming
The FCT livestock project, will sooner than later, begin to attract major boast as foreign investors indicate interests in promoting the delivery of quality Veterinary Health services for the farming in the FCT.
The Secretary for Agriculture & Rural Development Secretariat, Honorable Nzekwe Stanley Ifeanyichukwu stated this on receiving Dr. Erik Mijten, the Veterinary Affairs Manager, Zoetis ALPHA Project South Saharan Africa in his office.
According to him, the FCT Administration will continue to provide the enabling environment for well meaning organizations to operate in the FCT, stressing that the world has become a global village and the need for nations to share ideas for mutual benefits has become imperative.
While he commended Zoetis Incorporation for the Alpha project initiative which he said will help bolster the Livestock subsector and its value chains in the FCT, he urged them to ensure that their interventions reach out directly to the rural communities.
He urged the company to explore the possibility of setting up subsidiary companies in the FCT to enable livestock farmers have Access to medicines and technology which will help them raise healthier animals and secure more sustainable revenue.
Speaking earlier, the Dr. Erik Mijten who is spearheading the implementation of the African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement (A.L.P.H.A.) initiative in Africa, disclosed that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation would give the company a $14.4 million grant over the next three years to develop veterinary diagnostic networks and animal health infrastructure in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Uganda
He informed the Secretary that Alpha initiatives involves three areas of intervention which includes the provision of Veterinary medicines, Veterinary education and supply and Veterinary diagnostic services.
Zoetis Incorporation he said has identified Nigeria as having one of the largest livestock population in Africa which is why it will be investing a substantial amount of the grant in the country. He therefore solicited for the cooperation of the Agric Secretariat to ensure the success of the programme.
On the entourage of Dr. Mijten were the National President of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association, NVMA Dr. Honourable Godgin Abonyi, the Chairman of the FCT Chapter of the NVMA, Dr Bala Muhammad as well as other officials of the NVMA, FCT Chapter.
