News in brief:
– Gombe State partners with China-based JUNCAO Technology to boost livestock feed production, combat desertification, and create jobs for youths and women.
– The collaboration focuses on cultivating sustainable grasses, establishing fodder banks, and introducing mushroom farming to improve livelihoods and tackle environmental challenges.
Gombe State has taken a significant step toward improving livestock feed production, combating desertification, and creating job opportunities through a partnership with China-based JUNCAO Technology Development Center. This collaboration is part of the state’s Livestock Productivity Resilience Support (L-PRES) and Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Projects.
According to L-PRES Project Coordinator, Prof. Usman Bello Abubakar, the initiative aligns with Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s vision to revamp the livestock sector for economic growth and development.
Collaboration to address livestock and environmental challenges
During a joint technical committee meeting held at the L-PRES Project conference hall, key stakeholders, including Prof. Abubakar, Dr Sani Adamu Jauro, and JUNCAO representative Dr Lawandi Datti, discussed strategies to tackle environmental challenges affecting livestock production and agriculture.
The partnership aims to promote the cultivation of Napier and Elephant grasses, recognised for their rapid growth and suitability for livestock and environmental protection. These efforts are part of broader plans to establish fodder banks and grazing colonies along re-surveyed cattle routes to mitigate farmer-herder conflicts in the state.
JUNCAO Technology, endorsed by the United Nations, brings expertise in producing nutritious forage and cultivating various mushroom varieties for human consumption, protein, and medicinal purposes. This innovation, introduced at China’s Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has supported smallholder farmers in over 100 developing countries.
The collaboration is expected to enhance Gombe’s climate resilience, boost agricultural productivity, and provide alternative income sources for farmers, particularly women and youth, fostering sustainable development across the state.
