The Ekiti State Government has commenced a mass artificial insemination programme aimed at improving the quality, productivity and genetic performance of livestock in the state.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, said the initiative was part of efforts to modernise livestock production and improve the livelihoods of farmers through better breeding practices.
Boluwade spoke in Ado Ekiti on Friday during the ongoing Mass Artificial Insemination, Training and Induction of Inseminators organised by the state’s Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES).
He said the programme was designed to improve the genetics and multiplication of livestock for higher production, adding that the state was targeting 850 cows and 150 goats.
According to him, 30 professionals drawn mainly from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary departments are being trained and will be inducted as Artificial Insemination Technicians.
Boluwade said developing local expertise in artificial insemination was important to ensure the sustainability of the technology and enable trained personnel to transfer their knowledge to others.
He said the programme was expected to produce significant genetic improvements in local ruminant breeds, thereby contributing to economic growth and improved livelihoods.
The commissioner noted that a survey of L-PRES beneficiary farmers showed that livestock productivity in the state had been constrained by poor genetic quality and limited access to improved breeding services.
These challenges, he said, had contributed to low milk yields, slow growth rates and reduced market value of livestock.
He explained that artificial insemination would help address the challenges by increasing milk production, live-weight gain and carcass yields, while improving farmers’ incomes and household resilience.
Boluwade added that the technology would facilitate genetic upgrading by crossing local breeds with exotic breeds with desirable characteristics, resulting in improved productivity and performance.
He also noted that artificial insemination could help reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among livestock, while reproductive materials and semen from superior animals could be stored for extended periods.
The commissioner urged participants to take the training seriously, noting that the skills acquired would contribute to faster growth, better feed conversion, improved carcass yields and greater disease resistance among local livestock breeds.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting livestock producers and agribusiness entrepreneurs through investments in infrastructure, capacity building, market development, access to finance and institutional strengthening.
The Lead Consultant at Genex Urus Company, Olayiwola Adekunle, said the training was aimed at developing local experts capable of providing artificial insemination services without relying on personnel from outside the state or country.
Adekunle said Genex would support the 30 trained and qualified artificial inseminators for three years as part of the sustainability plan for the L-PRES programme.
He added that the exercise would involve the artificial insemination of more than 1,000 animals, including goats, across various local government areas.
According to him, the programme is expected to increase livestock numbers and milk production in the state, while supporting the implementation of Ekiti’s beef production programme.
Also speaking, the Ekiti L-PRES Animal Husbandry Officer, Olumuyiwa Adelodun, said the mass artificial insemination programme and the training of technicians were primarily aimed at improving and multiplying livestock breeds.
Adelodun said the productivity of local breeds had declined in recent years, adding that artificial insemination would help improve their quality and increase meat and other livestock production.