The Katsina State Department of Livestock and Grazing Reserves, in collaboration with the Katsina State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KTARDA) and the Community Development Programme (CDP), has organized a one-day training for Agricultural Extension Workers and Community Development Officers (CDOs) on basic counselling skills for successful livestock farming.
Hikaya Newspaper reports that the training began in Katsina Central Zone on Monday, August 18, and continued in the Funtua Zone on Tuesday, August 19, covering 11 local government areas including Bakori, Danja, Dandume, Faskari, Sabuwa, Kankara, Malumfashi, Kafur, Musawa, Matazu, and Funtua.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Livestock and Grazing, Hon. Yusuf Suleiman Jibia, explained that the training was designed to enhance participants’ knowledge of modern livestock practices used globally. He said Governor Dikko Radda’s administration has introduced several initiatives to improve animal husbandry, such as distributing improved goats to women and other residents across the state, as well as routine vaccination programs for livestock.
He further noted that the government has also established modern goat-rearing centers to promote livestock farming. According to him, these initiatives are part of broader government strategies to reduce poverty and boost the economic wellbeing of citizens through livestock production.
In his remarks, the managing director off KTARDA, Alhaji Abubakar Dabo, stated that Governor Dikko Radda, being an expert in agriculture, has been instrumental in driving the state’s agricultural progress. He recalled that before Radda’s administration, Katsina had fewer than 100 extension workers, but now more than 700 have been recruited across the state’s 34 local governments to strengthen farming and livestock development.
Also speaking, the CDP Coordinator, Dr. Kamala Kabir, described Agricultural Extension Workers as vital partners in the implementation of community development initiatives. He urged them to work closely with Community Development Officers to achieve the program’s objectives, stressing that collaboration and commitment are key to advancing livestock farming and community growth in Katsina.