Panafrican News Agency

Niger officially launches national campaign for free vaccination of livestock

Niamey, Niger (PANA)  -  Nigerien minister in charge of Livestock, Mohamed Boucha Monday launched the national campaign of free vaccination of livestock 2019-2020 edition in the rural commune of Miriah, Zinder region, 900 km east of Niamey,

Boucha said that breeding, after the extractive industries, was the second lever of the national economy, adding that the sector contributes 15 percent to the household budget and 25 percent to the satisfaction of the food needs of Nigerien populations, thereby contributing to the fight against poverty.

Livestock employs over 87 percent of the Nigerien population and 20 percent of them live exclusively of pastoral activities valued at more than 48 million heads of all species, worth nearly 4.300 billion CFA francs, the minister said.

"Livestock in Niger is a job-providing activity and also offers noble products such as milk, meat, eggs which contribute to the food and nutritional security of the populations."

However, Boucha said the breeding “undergoes the harmful effects of climatic changes which reduce the capacities of resilience of the pastoralists and agro-pastoralists who live in a vicious circle of poverty and food insecurity which effects are often worsened by policies little or not adapted to their concerns”.     

"To deal with this situation, the President of the Republic, Head of State of Niger, HE Issoufou Mahamadou, launched, in 2011, the Agricultural policy, called, Initiative 3N, the ‘Nigeriens feed the Nigeriens’ . The main objective of this initiative was that drought is no longer synonymous with famine in Niger," said the minister.

In the livestock sector, the last few years have been marked by significant progress through the vaccination and deworming program for livestock.

"Indeed, the good results of the 2018/2019 vaccination campaigns once again demonstrate the strong mobilization of all the players concerned and this deserves to be welcomed, supported and maintained," he said.

 Boucha also addressed the 2019-2020 pastoral campaign which did not meet the expectations of pastors with a fodder deficit of 11 million tonnes of dry matter.

To cope with this and alleviate the suffering of pastoralists during the lean season, a program for the placement of 35,000 tonnes of animal feed has been developed.

The minister reassured the pastors of the determination of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in accordance with the mission which has been assigned, that of achieving "Zero Hunger" in 2021, to "carry the incandescent torch of legitimate expectations of breeders and pastoral organizations and ensuring that each pastor can enjoy his activity.”

 

-0-     PANA      SA/BEH/KND/RA     30Dec2019