From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has canvassed alternative feed for livestock production following the high cost of animal feeds in the country.
The UN body in a week-long training for government agric extension workers from Borno, Adamawa, Taraba and Yobe states held in Maiduguri, urged farmers in the area to shift to the use of alternative feed which it described as cheaper and will boost livestock production.
FAO Livestock Specialist, Dr. Abdulrahman Mohammed said alternative feed is available, affordable, accessible and can be produced in most communities in the northeast
“Alternative feed is beneficial to sustainable livestock production, as it is cost-effective, sustainable and resilient against climate change,” Mohammed disclosed.
He explained that the 400 extension workers are expected to pass the knowledge and skill acquired to about 1,000 farmers in the four states who will also train others in their localities.
Grass, legume seeds and fund will be given by FAO to the trainee farmers for hay and silage making as well as hydroponic production, the specialist disclosed.
One of the trainers and a ruminant nutrition/pasture and range scientist, Dr Aisha Girgiri of the Animal Science Department, University of Maiduguri said the alternative feed will improve the well-being of livestock.
She said livestock production is low in the county because the bulk of the production is in the hands of peasant farmers, noting that the situation could change now especially in the North-East with the training.
According to FAO, the project; Training of Trainers (ToT), was funded by the Government of Norway to empower government extension workers to subsequently transfer the skill to farmers.
The training which started on Monday ends today (Saturday) with participants producing the alternative feed.