The Ekiti State Government has launched a capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening cooperative societies among livestock farmers as part of efforts to improve productivity, enhance resilience and promote sustainable agricultural development in the state.
The training, titled “Modern Cooperative Management and Operations in the Livestock Value Chain,” was organised under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project in Ado-Ekiti.
Declaring the programme open, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, said the initiative was designed to equip livestock farmers and cooperative leaders with modern management skills that would improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the livestock value chain. He noted that well-managed cooperatives are essential for increasing farmers’ access to finance, markets, inputs and technical support.
Boluwade urged participants to take full advantage of the training by adopting best practices that would strengthen their cooperative societies and improve their businesses. According to him, the state government remains committed to empowering livestock farmers through policies and programmes that enhance productivity and ensure food security.
The commissioner explained that the L-PRES project is focused on improving livestock production systems while building resilience against challenges such as climate change, animal diseases and market disruptions. He added that strengthening cooperative management is a key component of achieving the project’s objectives.
According to Boluwade, effective cooperatives can help livestock farmers pool resources, negotiate better prices, access credit facilities and improve the quality of their products, thereby contributing to economic growth and rural development.
The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project is a Federal Government initiative supported by the World Bank and implemented in participating states to improve livestock productivity, strengthen value chains and promote sustainable animal husbandry practices.
Participants at the training included livestock farmers, cooperative executives, agricultural extension officers and other stakeholders in the livestock sector. Facilitators provided practical sessions on cooperative governance, financial management, leadership, record-keeping and strategies for improving the efficiency of livestock enterprises.
The Ekiti State Government said it would continue to collaborate with development partners and relevant stakeholders to enhance agricultural productivity and support farmers through capacity-building initiatives, with the broader goal of boosting food security, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth in the state.
