684 farmers learn modern goat farming

The Gombe State Government, through its Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, has taken a strategic step to enhance the livestock sector by training 684 individuals—including women, retirees, youth, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)—on modern goat farming and marketing techniques.

The initiative, launched at the Education Resource Centre in Gombe, aligns with the state’s broader vision of improving livestock productivity and economic resilience. According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Cooperatives, Dr. Barnabas Malle, this inclusive training underscores the government’s commitment to empowering vulnerable groups and strengthening the state’s livestock value chain under Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s leadership.

Professor Usman Bello Abubakar, the State Coordinator of L-PRES, emphasized that the programme equips participants with essential skills in goat breed selection, nutrition management, disease prevention, and value addition to goat-based products. The training also incorporated marketing strategies and entrepreneurship development to enhance profitability and promote self-reliance.

With global demand for goat meat rising, Gombe State is positioning itself as a key player in the livestock industry. Plans are underway to establish an ultra-modern abattoir to support commercialization and value addition in goat production. Participants, including the Chairman of the Association of Physically Challenged Persons in Gombe, Ja’o Sarkin Aiki, expressed gratitude for the initiative, acknowledging its potential to improve livelihoods and create sustainable agribusiness opportunities.
Source- Daily Trust

Expert Review for Agri-Food Stakeholders
This initiative presents significant opportunities for stakeholders across the agricultural value chain, from policymakers to investors and agripreneurs:

1. Enhancing Smallholder Livestock Productivity
   The training provides goat farmers with modern husbandry techniques, improving productivity and reducing mortality rates. This ensures a more efficient and profitable livestock sector.
2. Strengthening the Goat Value Chain
   By incorporating value addition and marketing strategies, the programme enhances the commercial viability of goat farming. This creates opportunities for agribusiness investors, feed suppliers, veterinary service providers, and processors.
3. Addressing Food Security and Economic Empowerment
   Goat meat is a significant source of protein, and with increasing demand, Gombe’s focus on scaling production contributes to food security. Moreover, the empowerment of women, youth, and PWDs fosters economic inclusion and employment generation.
4. Encouraging Private Sector Investment
   The planned ultra-modern abattoir signals an opportunity for agribusiness investors to engage in processing and meat export ventures, tapping into both local and international markets.
5. A Model for Other States
   Gombe’s approach demonstrates how livestock development can be leveraged for social and economic impact. Other states in Nigeria could replicate this inclusive model to maximize livestock sector potential

Key Takeaways for Stakeholders

1. Farmers should adopt the improved techniques from the training to boost their productivity and profitability.
2. Investors should explore opportunities in goat meat processing and feed production as demand increases.
3. Policymakers can integrate similar inclusive livestock programmes into national agricultural strategies.
4. Agri-food businesses should align with government initiatives to develop a robust livestock value chain.

As Gombe State strengthens its position in the livestock industry, strategic partnerships and investments will be key to maximizing the benefits of this initiative.