Zanzibar — THE Zanzibar Livestock Research Institute (ZALIRI) and the Institute of International Animal Health/One Health have signed a cooperation agreement for sharing experiences to improve operations in advancing the livestock sector.

Dr Talib Suleiman Saleh, Director of ZALIRI and Prof Sascha Knauf, Director of Germany Institute of International Animal Health/One Health, signed the agreement in the presence of Zanzibar Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock and Irrigation, Mr Shamata Shaame Khamis.

Speaking after the signing, Minister Khamis joined the ZALIRI director to commend Germany for the cooperation, saying it was a milestone in developing the livestock sector in Zanzibar which has not been doing well due to various challenges including lack of skilled labour and expertise.

"This is an important agreement which will definitely enable our livestock department to move forward in helping the livestock in Zanzibar benefit farmers and contribute to the national income. The cooperation is crucial because it helps address, through lab work and behavior changes of diseases facing livestock," the Minister said as the director of ZALIRI promised to take the cooperation seriously.

Prof Knauf said: "We look forward to stronger and fruitful collaboration with Zanzibar and also Tanzania mainland. We have a lot to share with regards to the development of livestock."

The Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock and Irrigation, Mr Seif Shaaban Mwinyi, argued that the world now promotes 4Cs, which stands for Collaboration, Coordination, Cooperation, and Communications, to move forward in development.

He said the signed agreement, which has also been approved by the Zanzibar Attorney General (AG), will include collaboration and cooperation in sharing expertise, equipment, education/training, laboratory activities, combating diseases, researches, processing and packaging.