Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
The Victims Support Fund (VSF) has distributed 4,000 high breed goats to households boost livestock production projects in insurgency affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. The projects’ implementation, according to Executive Director of VSF, Prof. Sunday Ochoche is to ensure food security and livelihoods of targeted displaced persons in camps and host communities. Distributing the highbred Borno brown goats at the weekend in Auno community of Borno, Prof. Ochoche said that each household will receive three female goats and a male; with cash a transfer of N20, 000. He said the cash; was to enable beneficiaries provide initial livestock feeds and support their families in the interim. “This Animal Breeding Intervention (ABI) project of the fund is geared towards the 2018/2019 livestock production project in insurgency affected communities. He warned against resell of livestock, as the cash transfer was to feed them to produce more goats and sustain their livelihoods. According to him, the livestock production project is also extended to Adamawa and Yobe states with 300 each of high breeding goats. On livestock’s high breeds, he said: “VSF is collaborating with the State’s FADAMA III project, Ministry of Agricultural Resources and Ministry of Fisheries and Animal Resources to ensure the provision of routine veterinary services to the beneficiaries for a year.” He said this will increase productivity and ensure the health of the livestock. According to him, within a year of livestock rearing, each household could breed 12 additional goats. He said the Borno brown goats, are reputed for producing two kids every six months. The Vice Chairman of Presidential Committee on Northeast Imitative (PCNI), Tijani Musa Tumsa urged the beneficiaries to take care of distributed breeding livestock, so that they could earn more income foot bills of their children’s school fees and other basic needs of life.
