Mr Namadi said the beneficiaries have also been trained to be licensed as veterinary service providers to effectively respond to animal disease incidences
The Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, on Wednesday, inaugurated and distributed working materials to 300 youths recruited and trained to provide mobile veterinary clinic services for the purpose of controlling and preventing the spread of animal diseases across the 287 political wards in the state.
The governor during the inaugural ceremony at the NYSC orientation camp at Fanisau in Dutse, donated a motorcycle to each of the 300 beneficiaries. Each of the motorcycles is fully fitted with a medical toolbox, vaccination kits, drug box and other accessories for routine and emergency veterinary services.
Mr Namadi said the beneficiaries have also been trained to be licensed as veterinary service providers to effectively respond to animal disease incidences even in the remote and hard to reach locations so as to control and contain preventable animal diseases.Mr Namadi at the event also distributed agricultural inputs, including fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and certified seeds for wheat, rice, and maize to 1,200 farmers
The distributed agricultural inputs included 2,400 bags of NPK, 1,200 bags of urea, 1,200 litres each of selective and non-selective herbicides, and pesticides, 140 50 kg bags of certified wheat seeds, 80 50kg bags of certified rice seeds and 8- 20kg bags of certified maize seeds.
Others were the distribution and free installation with shed of agricultural produce, processing equipment comprising of 50 multi-purpose thrashers, 50 rice milling machines each equipped with a generator, and 50 de-stoner machines also each equipped with a generator.
According to the governor, the 1,200 farmers benefitted from the interventions under the state's partnership with the World Bank-supported Project for Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes while the other interventions were part of the state's employment programme being championed by the newly established Economic Empowerment and Youths Employment Agency.
He said the scheme is under the 'J-Agro' Employment Initiative and Agricultural Enterprise Empowerment Programme reflecting his administration's dedication to enhancing the state's agricultural sector and economic growth.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr Namadi said: "Today we are launching the distribution of agricultural inputs and agricultural produce processing equipment as well as the inauguration of community-based animal health workers that would provide mobile veterinary clinics services across the nooks and crannies of the State. All these perfectly fit with one of our overaching development agenda of achieving sustained agricultural transformation in Jigawa State.
"This is a component of our J-Agro Agricultural Extension Agents Programme under which some 1,440 youths were enlisted to provide quality agricultural extension services to our farmers. These related interventions all in the agricultural sector have significant multiplier effects on the attainment of our development objectives.
"While contributing to the provisions of sustainable means of livelihoods for the people, these will also support the acceleration of our agricultural transformation agenda aimed at improving agricultural productivity, food security and economic diversification ultimately contributing to inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction", Mr Namadi added.
Other recent interventions
Mr Namadi said that the Wednesday's event was a continuation of other interventions programmes done in series to mark his administration's first year in office.
"Today's event is coming just a few days after marking our first one year in office during which we have also showcased various projects, programs, interventions and initiatives delivered to the people of Jigawa State during the first 12-months of our stewardship.
"As we continue to a an these, we have the firm conviction that we are on track to deliver our people from decades of poverty and change the narratives of poverty statistics we continue to hear on our beloved State.
"Indeed, in line with our strategic development objectives, we have pledged to pursue transformations in the agriculture sector where our priority is to sustain interventions meant to accelerate the contributions of the sector to the growth of the state economy and providing sustainable means of livelihoods for the people.
"Accordingly, I am today launching three major interventions which are in addition to similar initiatives launched few days ago in Kazaure, Dutse and other locations. These are: The distribution of agricultural inputs s to one thousand two hundred farmers carefully selected to ensure that maximum positive impact is made not just on the beneficiaries but in contributing to our objectives of agricultural transformation.
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"Even though these interventions are critical components of our agricultural development programs, they were also deliberately conceived in line with aspects of our 12-points agenda which prioritised the expansion of social protection interventions to the most vulnerable segment of the population through grants that support livelihoods and provide skills to our economically active youths including women and people living with disabilities.
"We have over the last 12-months, implemented over 30 different empowerment and employment programs with over 73,000 beneficiaries whose means of livelihoods having been significantly improved.
"We have also built on this through the goat breeding microcredit programme which has empowered thousands of women throughout the state. Recently 1,640 widows were empowered across four local government areas with three goats each which will be sustained to reach the only eleven remaining LGAs.
"Today's inauguration of the 300 mobile veterinary service providers is also part of our efforts to protect and develop the livestock population in the State" Mr Namadi stressed further.
