The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has distributed ruminant concentrates and salt licks to 60 cattle farmers in Plateau.

Ruminant concentrates are low-fibre, high-energy feed that can vary considerably in their protein content.

Winifred Lai-Solarin, director of the Federal Department of Animal Husbandry Services at the ministry, said on Friday in Jos, at the distribution of the items, that the gesture was for the victims of the 2022 flood.

Ms Lai-Solarin, represented by Olayemi Olagbaju, senior animal husbandry officer, said the government decided to assist victims of the flood disaster, which destroyed some farms, with the inputs and a token.

The director urged the farmers to use the palliatives wisely, adding that they were meant to assist them in boosting their production.

She stated that the beneficiaries were selected in collaboration with the Plateau Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

“And we are organising a capacity building for them to show them the importance of good animal husbandry practices.

“They have to make sure that they are practicing biosecurity measures on their farm to prevent the animals from spreading diseases,” she added.

Ms Lai-Solarin said the FMAFS had initiated many programmes to transform animal husbandry in the country.

The director cited the National Livestock Breed Improvement Programme, which she said was to promote hybrid livestock varieties in the country.

She added that the ministry also had the National Animal Identification and Traceability System to ensure that animals were tagged and could be easily traced in case of any conflict or disease outbreak.

Samson Bugama, Plateau Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, lauded the federal government for coming to the aid of the farmers whose farmers and animals were affected by the 2022 flood.

Mr Bugama, represented by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Nengak Yilkudi, urged the farmers to make judicious use of the inputs and become millions.

The commissioner told the farmers that the Governor Caleb Mutfwang-led government was passionate about agriculture and was already assisting farmers in diverse ways.

Stephen Dowoh, the state coordinator, said the resilience of farmers to ensure they were in the business of livestock production was necessary, hence the government’s gesture.

Usman Adamu, one of the beneficiaries, appreciated the government’s gesture, saying it would boost his business.

(NAN)