OGSG, PROFESSIONAL BODY BUILD STUDENTS’ CAPACITY ON LIVESTOCK FARMING

To further ensure food and nutrition security, as well as reduce unemployment, the Ogun State Branch of the National Association of Livestock and Husbandry Scientist and Technologist of Nigeria (NALHSATON), in collaboration with the State Department Livestock Services, has organised a day training for students on Backyard Livestock Farming.

 The training was meant to develop the interest of the students in agriculture at a young age, so as to make them financially independent adults in the future.

Speaking at the flag-off of the event at the Baptist Boys High School (BBHS), Saje, Abeokuta, the Director, Department of Livestock Services, Mr. Adeyemi Osilalu said the mission of the two organisations was to further re-orientate the students on agriculture as a way of life, to enable them to start small and practice it alongside their chosen profession, as well as nurture the desire for studying and engaging in agriculture.

In his welcome address, the Chairman of NALHSATON, Mr. Adeola Adesote, revealed that the theme of the training “Schools Livestock for Protein and Income” was informed by the need to fill the nutrition gap and enlighten the pupils on how to generate income and prepare them to become employers of labour in the nearest future.

Adesote, who also doubled as a resource person took the students on poultry breeding, outlined record keeping, proper hygiene, marketing, housing, feeding, and medication administration, among others as key activities and practices to be observed in engaging in a profitable backyard livestock farm.

The ball has been set in motion and we are not going to stop here. This training would be taken to schools around all the regions of the State and we will follow it up to ensure that this training yields the desired result, as well as provide professional support and advice for these children to actually practice what we have imparted to them today”, he said.

Earlier in his opening remark, the Principal of BBHS, Mr. Oluseyi Kushimo, said the training was very apt, adding that it would enrich the student’s knowledge of practicing livestock and animal husbandry on a small scale in their homes and at school.

One of the beneficiaries, Success Oloyede on behalf of others, applauded the organisers of the initiative, saying students would imbibe all they have been taught and would be good livestock ambassadors.