By Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe
The Niger State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) says it will adopt some of Gombe State’s strategies and projects to strengthen sustainable livestock development in the state.
The Niger L-PRES Coordinator, Mr Jiya Danladi Mohammed, disclosed this during a study tour of major L-PRES projects in Gombe State.
The delegation visited the Agro-Livestock Development Zone and the Artificial Insemination and Breed Multiplication Centre at Gombe State University, Mallam Sidi, among other livestock development facilities.
Mohammed said the visit was aimed at enabling the Niger team to understudy Gombe’s implementation strategies and identify projects that could be replicated in Niger.
He described the Agro-Livestock Development Zone as impressive, particularly its integrated approach to livestock production, processing and marketing.
“So far, so good. I have a lot of good stories to tell. We have been to the Agro-Livestock Development Zone and have seen a lot of things, including the ultramodern abattoir and other components being taken care of by L-PRES. Everything we saw was very impressive,” he said.
According to him, bringing different components of the livestock value chain together in one location would promote efficiency, coordination and sustainability.
Mohammed said the Artificial Insemination and Breed Multiplication Centre was another facility that attracted the delegation’s attention, noting that its design and location had prompted Niger State to reconsider the proposed site for a similar project.
“What I saw here is, in fact, very impressive. There is a need for us to change the location where we intend to put our AI unit to another location. Maybe it should be in an institution, like the way you strategically do it here in Gombe,” he said.
He said the Niger team would seek the design and technical details of the Gombe facility for possible adoption, adding that approvals had already been secured for the construction and equipping of an artificial insemination centre in Niger.
The coordinator also encouraged other states participating in L-PRES to visit Gombe and learn from its experience, describing the state as a good model for knowledge sharing and sustainable livestock development.
He called for a shift from fragmented interventions to larger projects capable of sustaining themselves beyond the lifespan of the L-PRES programme.
“Some of the initial project activities we implemented are more of a piecemeal approach. What I have seen here is very encouraging. We should look for a bigger mega-project activity, one that you feel can sustain itself even if L-PRES is no longer there,” Mohammed said.
Earlier, the Gombe State L-PRES Coordinator, Prof. Usman Bello Abubakar, said the study tour followed a request by the World Bank for the Niger delegation to visit Gombe and understudy its implementation strategies.
He said the Agro-Livestock Development Zone and the Artificial Insemination and Breed Multiplication Centre were among the major projects selected for the visit.
Abubakar attributed Gombe’s progress under L-PRES to the support of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, saying the governor’s experience in both the public and private sectors had influenced the state’s approach to livestock development.
He stressed the importance of knowledge sharing among states implementing L-PRES, saying collaboration and exchange of experiences would contribute to the sustainable development of Nigeria’s livestock sector.
The Gombe coordinator assured the delegation of the state’s readiness to share its experiences and provide technical support where necessary.
The Niger delegation also visited the Gombe Emir’s Royal Farm at the palace of the Emir of Gombe, His Highness Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, CFR, where members inspected different animal breeds and livestock husbandry practices.