By Muhammad Sani Muazu
The Bauchi State Office of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) project has received resounding support from stakeholders in Kirfi Local Government Area during a courtesy visit to engage with community leaders on the project’s objectives and benefits.
The visit, led by the Bauchi State L-PRES Project Coordinator, Musa Adamu, aimed to introduce the initiative to the local community and seek their collaboration for successful implementation. Speaking during the engagement, Adamu highlighted the project’s focus on addressing livestock productivity challenges and ensuring community ownership for sustainability.
“Under this project, we are planning to build a state-of-the-art abattoir and veterinary clinic in Kirfi Local Government Area. Whatever we do in L-PRES, we want the community to take ownership of the project to ensure its sustainability,” Adamu stated.
The district head of Kirfi, Lawan Muhammad Kirfi, expressed gratitude to the Bauchi State Government for prioritizing the area in the L-PRES initiative. He described the project as a welcome development, particularly given the ongoing challenges of farmers-herders conflicts caused by cattle route encroachment.
“This project is a welcome development, especially in Kirfi Local Government. We commend the Bauchi State Government for this intervention, which we believe will go a long way in addressing the farmers-herders crisis. On behalf of myself, my ward heads, and village heads, I want to assure you of our total support for this project,” the district head pledged.
Similarly, Abdulkadir Umar Dewu, another community leader, emphasized the project’s significance to the predominantly agrarian community of Kirfi. He noted the region’s vulnerability to zoonotic diseases and expressed optimism that the planned veterinary clinic would mitigate the risks.
“Our people rely solely on agriculture, so we see this project as our own. Building a veterinary clinic under this project will help in addressing the challenge of zoonotic diseases. We are also hopeful that Kirfi will serve as a model for other local governments to emulate,” Dewu remarked.
The L-PRES project, which focuses on improving livestock productivity and enhancing community resilience, aims to foster collaboration among stakeholders and ensure the successful implementation of interventions in Kirfi and beyond. The stakeholders’ engagement underscored the community’s readiness to support and take ownership of the project for sustainable development in the livestock sector.
As the L-PRES initiative gains momentum, Kirfi Local Government is poised to become a hub for innovative livestock management practices, setting an example for other areas in Bauchi State.