Oyo To Vaccinate 88,000 Livestock Animals

…As OYO L- PRES Flags Off Free Anthrax Vaccination Exercise

IBADAN – Oyo State Government in its efforts to ensure food sufficiency commenced free vaccinations exercise for no fewer than 88,000 livestock animals across the State.

The free anthrax vaccination exercise aimed at protecting the livestock farmers’ livelihood, enhance livestock productivity and resilience, and also to ensure livestock health and food security across all the geo-political zones of the State.

Speaking while declaring open the campaign exercise in Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, the Chairman Steering Committee of Oyo L-PRES, who also doubles as the Director General of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), Dr. Debo Akande who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Agency, Mr Badmus Kolade urged livestock farmers in the State to bring out their animals for anthrax vaccination.

In his words, Akande said, “Today’s event is not just a formal exercise, it is a strong signal of our shared commitment to protecting the health of our livestock, the safety of our communities, and the integrity of our economy.

“Anthrax is a serious zoonotic disease that poses significant threats to animal health, human health, and the livelihoods of our livestock farmers. Left unchecked, it can cause sudden deaths in animals, contaminate the environment, and expose communities to grave risks. We cannot afford to be reactive, we must be proactive, and that is why we are gathered here today.

“This campaign will be rolled out across all high-risk areas, targeting cattle, sheep and goats. The teams of trained Veterinary officers and animal health technologists will work hand-in-hand with community leaders, livestock owners, and other stakeholders to ensure that this exercise is a success.

“Engr. Seyi Makinde’s administration, which came on board in 2019, has implemented a comprehensive strategy to boost agriculture and agribusiness, focusing on crops and livestock. What made our administration stand out was the strategy adopted and key initiatives taken, which include, Oyo State Agricultural Micro-Enterprise Scheme, where a database of more than 10,000 smallholder farmers has been created to provide support, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the Food Security in Emergency scheme.

“The State has launched an Agribusiness industrial hub to recover and extract value from moribund Government assets and abandoned projects, promoting Agricultural development. The flagship project is the Fasola Agribusiness Transformation Center, a model that has attracted local and international visitors, including the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and development partners such as African Development Bank’s team among several other State Government team across Nigeria.

“Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) was established to oversee and coordinate Agribusiness activities, OYSADA plays a crucial role in implementing the State’s Agricultural agenda by attracting medium, large-scale investors into the Aagricultural landscape of the State.

“To bring on board our young population into agriculture, the agency implemented programmes like Start Them Early Program (STEP) in about 15 secondary schools across the State as well as Oyo State-IITA Youth Agribusiness Incubation Centre, where more than 100 youths have undergone hands-on training on animal production and management, all in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).