Niger L-PRES had a Study Tour to learn from Gombe L-PRES implementation Strategies
The Niger State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Supports (L-PRES) has applauded the Gombe State Government, under the leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, for its bold and strategic interventions aimed at transforming and modernising the livestock sector, describing the initiatives as valuable models for sustainable livestock development.The commendation was made by the Niger State L-PRES Coordinator, Mr. Jiya Danladi Mohammed, during a study tour of selected L-PRES projects in Gombe State, including the Agro-Livestock Development Zone and the Artificial Insemination (AI) Centre at the Faculty of Agriculture, Gombe State University, Mallam Sidi.Speaking during the visit, the Niger SPC said the study tour was undertaken to enable the Niger State team to learn from Gombe’s experience and explore projects, strategies and approaches that could be replicated in Niger State.Impressed by the projects visited, the Niger L-PRES Coordinator described the interventions as highly commendable and capable of providing valuable lessons for other states.He said the team visited the Agro-Livestock Development Zone, where it observed several livestock-related activities being implemented under the project, particularly those supported by L-PRES.“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 Abbatoir, among other components being taken care of by L-PRES. Everything we saw was very impressive.”Mr. Jiya explained that concentrating livestock-related activities within a designated area provides an opportunity to develop a complete livestock value chain, from production through processing to marketing.“In every livestock sector, it is good for them to stay in a place like a livestock village or livestock area because most of the things we have seen there are like a value chain in livestock production. You find yourself in production, and after production of one thing, you move to another stage, such as processing, and then to marketing. It goes like that.”He said the facilities and structures observed in Gombe had prompted him to reconsider some of the approaches being adopted in Niger State, particularly the proposed location and design of its Artificial Insemination Centre.“Coming down to the Artificial Insemination and Breed Multiplication Centre, 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.”“We also have to get a design from the SPC, if possible, from the engineering unit, to go and implement the same thing over there. We already have approval for the construction, approval for the equipment and approval for everything. But what I have seen here is quite different from what we are working towards", he added.The Niger L-PRES Coordinator expressed optimism that the visit would mark the beginning of stronger collaboration between the two states, while encouraging L-PRES coordinators from other states to visit Gombe and learn from the projects being implemented there.“I also have to advise my colleagues, SPCs from other states, that if they cannot go elsewhere, I think Gombe State is one of the states they can visit to learn a lot. With this, the sky is going to be our limit.”Mr. Jiya Danladi also acknowledged the need for Niger State to draw lessons from Gombe’s experience, particularly in developing larger and more sustainable projects.“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,” he noted.He described project sustainability as particularly important to the long-term development and resilience of the livestock sector.In his remarks, the Gombe State L-PRES Coordinator, Prof. Usman Bello Abubakar, explained that the study tour followed communication from the World Bank requesting that the Niger State L-PRES team visit Gombe to learn from the state’s implementation of the project.He said the World Bank had specifically identified the Agro-Livestock Development Zone and the Artificial Insemination Centre as key areas of interest for the visiting team.Prof. Abubakar described Gombe State as fortunate to have a visionary leader in Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, whom he said had experience in both the public and private sectors and had consistently placed the interests of the people at the heart of his leadership.He emphasised the importance of cross-fertilisation of ideas among L-PRES-implementing states, assuring the visiting team of Gombe’s readiness to provide the necessary support towards the comprehensive development of the livestock sector in Nigeria.Prof. Abubakar thanked the World Bank for selecting Gombe as a learning destination for the Niger State L-PRES team and commended the Niger team for accepting the invitation and undertaking the study tour.The Gombe State L-PRES Coordinator also led the visiting team on a tour of the Gombe Emir’s Royal Farm at the palace of His Highness, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, CFR, where the team observed various animal breeds and livestock husbandry practices.
The Niger State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Supports (L-PRES) has applauded the Gombe State Government, under the leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, for its bold and strategic interventions aimed at transforming and modernising the livestock sector, describing the initiatives as valuable models for sustainable livestock development.
The commendation was made by the Niger State L-PRES Coordinator, Mr. Jiya Danladi Mohammed, during a study tour of selected L-PRES projects in Gombe State, including the Agro-Livestock Development Zone and the Artificial Insemination (AI) Centre at the Faculty of Agriculture, Gombe State University, Mallam Sidi.
Speaking during the visit, the Niger SPC said the study tour was undertaken to enable the Niger State team to learn from Gombe’s experience and explore projects, strategies and approaches that could be replicated in Niger State.
Impressed by the projects visited, the Niger L-PRES Coordinator described the interventions as highly commendable and capable of providing valuable lessons for other states.
He said the team visited the Agro-Livestock Development Zone, where it observed several livestock-related activities being implemented under the project, particularly those supported by L-PRES.
“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 Abbatoir, among other components being taken care of by L-PRES. Everything we saw was very impressive.”
Mr. Jiya explained that concentrating livestock-related activities within a designated area provides an opportunity to develop a complete livestock value chain, from production through processing to marketing.
“In every livestock sector, it is good for them to stay in a place like a livestock village or livestock area because most of the things we have seen there are like a value chain in livestock production. You find yourself in production, and after production of one thing, you move to another stage, such as processing, and then to marketing. It goes like that.”
He said the facilities and structures observed in Gombe had prompted him to reconsider some of the approaches being adopted in Niger State, particularly the proposed location and design of its Artificial Insemination Centre.
“Coming down to the Artificial Insemination and Breed Multiplication Centre, 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.”
“We also have to get a design from the SPC, if possible, from the engineering unit, to go and implement the same thing over there. We already have approval for the construction, approval for the equipment and approval for everything. But what I have seen here is quite different from what we are working towards", he added.
The Niger L-PRES Coordinator expressed optimism that the visit would mark the beginning of stronger collaboration between the two states, while encouraging L-PRES coordinators from other states to visit Gombe and learn from the projects being implemented there.
“I also have to advise my colleagues, SPCs from other states, that if they cannot go elsewhere, I think Gombe State is one of the states they can visit to learn a lot. With this, the sky is going to be our limit.”
Mr. Jiya Danladi also acknowledged the need for Niger State to draw lessons from Gombe’s experience, particularly in developing larger and more sustainable projects.
“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,” he noted.
He described project sustainability as particularly important to the long-term development and resilience of the livestock sector.
In his remarks, the Gombe State L-PRES Coordinator, Prof. Usman Bello Abubakar, explained that the study tour followed communication from the World Bank requesting that the Niger State L-PRES team visit Gombe to learn from the state’s implementation of the project.
He said the World Bank had specifically identified the Agro-Livestock Development Zone and the Artificial Insemination Centre as key areas of interest for the visiting team.
Prof. Abubakar described Gombe State as fortunate to have a visionary leader in Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, whom he said had experience in both the public and private sectors and had consistently placed the interests of the people at the heart of his leadership.
He emphasised the importance of cross-fertilisation of ideas among L-PRES-implementing states, assuring the visiting team of Gombe’s readiness to provide the necessary support towards the comprehensive development of the livestock sector in Nigeria.
Prof. Abubakar thanked the World Bank for selecting Gombe as a learning destination for the Niger State L-PRES team and commended the Niger team for accepting the invitation and undertaking the study tour.
