The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) has expressed concern over the scarcity of veterinary professionals in Nigerian rural communities. According to Dr. Sanusi Abubakar, national coordinator of L-PRES, over 80 percent of veterinarians in Nigeria work in the private sector, mainly in urban centers, leaving rural farmers with limited access to animal health services. This shortage has significant implications for livestock productivity and animal health in rural areas.
To address this challenge, L-PRES, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, has concluded plans to deploy 780 private veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals to over 1,000 livestock clusters in 13 states. This initiative, known as the Private Veterinary Service (PVS) program, aims to provide quality veterinary services to livestock farmers, particularly those in rural areas where animal health personnel are in short supply.
The PVS program is a public-private partnership that seeks to strengthen the veterinary workforce and create employment opportunities for young veterinarians and para-veterinarians. Under the program, one veterinarian will engage five others, resulting in 60 veterinarians per state, and a total of 780 veterinarians across 13 states. This initiative has the potential to reach at least 26,000 livestock farmers and improve disease surveillance, facilitating early response to outbreaks and ultimately boosting productivity in the livestock sector.
L-PRES has commenced the pilot implementation of the PVS program in Kwara state, a leading state in the implementation of L-PRES. The program was launched in Ilorin, the state capital, with the aim of strengthening animal health services and improving livestock productivity across Nigeria. Kwara state has been selected as the first state for the pilot implementation due to its commitment to improving the livestock sector.
The Kwara state government has been working closely with L-PRES to improve livestock production and animal health services. According to Mrs. Oloruntoyosi Thomas, state Commissioner for Livestock Development, the state government has implemented various interventions aimed at improving the livestock sector, including artificial insemination and the provision of water, feed, and pasture for pastoralist communities. The state government has also renovated and equipped veterinary clinics and slaughter facilities across the state.
The PVS program in Kwara state will deploy selected private veterinarians to work alongside government veterinary officers to provide professional animal health services across the state. This initiative is expected to improve disease surveillance, increase vaccination coverage, and strengthen the state's response to disease outbreaks, while promoting the responsible use of veterinary drugs. The program will also enhance the livelihoods of livestock farmers and contribute to the state's economy.
The implementation of L-PRES in Kwara state has already yielded significant results, with over 238,000 animals vaccinated, and over 800 livestock value-chain players mapped and profiled. Additionally, more than 2,000 farmers have been trained under the various interventions, and demonstration farms have been established to support feed production. The success of the PVS program in Kwara state is expected to serve as a model for other states in Nigeria.
Key points
- L-PRES deploys 780 experts to address veterinary shortage in rural Nigeria.
- The initiative aims to improve disease surveillance and livestock productivity.
- The program has the potential to reach at least 26,000 livestock farmers.
