The Kaduna State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) has trained veterinarians and community animal health workers on modern disease surveillance techniques to strengthen livestock health and reduce economic losses.
Dr Zacharia Pakachi, Director of Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, disclosed this on Monday during the two-day workshop in Kaduna.
He said the initiative aligns with the World Bank-supported Project Development Objective (PDO) of L-PRES, which aims to build resilience against shocks in the livestock value chain.
Pakachi commended the L-PRES State Coordination Office for organising the exercise, describing it as “timely and invaluable.”
According to him, the training covered livestock disease concepts, surveillance methods, reporting mechanisms, biosecurity and biosafety measures, survey design, and early warning systems.
“Our goal is to reduce livestock disease outbreaks to single digits. This will not only protect the economy but also uphold the rights of farmers whose livelihoods depend on healthy animals,” he said.
A facilitator, Dr Shehu Shamsudeen, said the sessions were designed to be practical and engaging.
“We wanted the training to be interactive and hands-on so that participants can easily apply what they learned,” he explained.
Dr Polycarp Madaki, a veterinarian, said the training was insightful.
“It has equipped us with the tools to detect and report diseases more effectively, which is vital for our livestock and economy.”
Another participant, Dr Jibril Isa, said the sessions on biosecurity and biosafety were particularly beneficial.
“We now understand better how to apply them in our work to prevent the spread of diseases.”
Dr Ibrahim Hussain added that the session on early warning systems had empowered them to take proactive measures.
“This knowledge will help us safeguard our livestock and enhance productivity in our communities,” he said.
