Agriculture experts have said that the capacity training program on the production of small ruminants and the processing of crop waste that is carried out between 900 farmers and extension agents in the state of Kwara is capable of making the State recover your lost glory in milk production.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of a five -day capacity training workshop, packaging by Synergy Impict Consultant Limited for another lot of 100 farmers and extension agents, in Illorin on Thursday, the coordinator (training) at the Agriculture Center of Lands Dryas (CDA), Kano, Professor Murtala Badamasi, said that the trained youth would galvanize the process to perform.
“We see that Kwara was once a state of milk production. Why are we that we are removing it from the list? How can we recover that? We can only recover that if we have an infrastructure based on knowledge that supports the directed intervention that would allow this to return, ”he said.
Professor Badamasi, who said that young people had been trained to improve agricultural production in the state, added that “with appropriate infrastructure and assistance,” the State would welcome local and foreign investors in milk production between milk Other agricultural value chains.
“With this, investors would consider the state of Kwara as a landscape where they can prosper in terms of milk production, meat production and all other value chains in the cattle sector.”
The agriculture expert, who said that the training program is able to address the perennial conflicts of farmers and dominated by the agricultural sector due to livestock feeding, added that food requires 70 percent of the cost of production of cattle.
Professor Badamasi said that training processing crop waste to improve animals would help reduce the cost.
He encouraged the state government to provide machines necessary for crop waste processing, for example, crushers, young people to facilitate a qualifying environment.
“Given the fact that people have created the need to process the residue. Ab Initio, do not process the residue. Which means that a new sector would arise in the ecosystem. A new manufacturing in commercial quantity would arise. And these manufactures can only arise when the government provides seed funds to prosper. That is possible, and the industry can start appearing that. That could also have a multiplier effect on the existing economic panorama of the state of Kwara, ”he said.
Speaking with some of the participants in the training program, Aig Ishola Babaita (RTD) praised Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for efforts in agriculture, saying that the governor is supporting a worthy legacy with the program.
“This program focuses on young people, and when young people are busy with something worthwhile, especially in the production of small ruminants, there will be a reduction in crime and youth disturbances. Inactive hands are the devil's workshop, says the adage.
“I am a retired police officer and I have been a farmer all the time. I participate in the training workshop to improve my knowledge. Learning is a continuous process.
“The production of small ruminants is not too difficult, provided that one is equipped with the necessary knowledge. Then, only the government orders to support them. In addition to this training workshop, the government should grant them a non -monetary take -off subsidy in the form of cattle and machines (crushers). “
Also speaking, a retired assistant controller, the correctional service, Mr. Kayode Odeyemi, praised the program, saying that the knowledge obtained would improve agricultural production in its 18 -year farm in Omupo, Kwara state.
“Training has opened my eyes to new things in agricultural practices, especially the production of small ruminants for commercial purposes.
“Fortunately, I have a farm that covers everything: large animals, small animals, crops, corral birds, etc. The crop residue and everything that would help in the production of animal food for the use of ruminants, particularly with the newly acquired knowledge. “