L-PRES Records 1.4 Million Beneficiaries, Improves Livestock Output

News in Brief:

-L-PRES says over 1.44 million Nigerians have benefited from livestock interventions, surpassing the project’s initial target.

-The project recorded improvements in milk yield, cattle carcass weight, sheep production, and adoption of improved livestock technologies.

The Federal Government states that more than 1.44 million Nigerians have benefited from the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) since the program began, exceeding its original target of 1.43 million beneficiaries nationwide.

Dr Sanusi Abubakar, the National Project Coordinator of L-PRES, disclosed this during the project’s mid-term review meeting, where stakeholders assessed implementation progress and discussed strategies to accelerate impact across the livestock sector.

According to Abubakar, the beneficiaries include about 546,000 women and 903,000 men who have accessed various interventions ranging from livestock training and advisory services to vaccination campaigns, pasture development, infrastructure support, and input distribution.

Livestock Production Indicators Improve

Abubakar claimed that the interventions are helping livestock farmers improve productivity, strengthen resilience, and increase household income. He highlighted improvements recorded in livestock production indicators under the project.

According to the project lead, annual milk production per cow increased from 274.5 litres to 375.9 litres, while average carcass weight rose from 135 kilograms to 160 kilograms.

He added that sheep production improved from 14.22kg to 21.43kg, while goat production also recorded steady growth during the implementation period.

Animal Health and Technology Adoption

Dr Abubakar identified animal health support as one of the critical pillars driving the project’s performance, stressing that the livestock sector remains a major opportunity for economic growth, employment generation, food security, and export expansion.

He disclosed that more than 388,000 farmers have accessed agricultural support services under the project, while over 101,000 farmers have adopted improved livestock technologies.

According to him, more than 6,184 personnel, including extension workers, veterinary officers, and artificial insemination technicians, have received specialised training to strengthen livestock service delivery nationwide.

He further stated that 1,492 farmers had already benefited from artificial insemination services, with over 3,489 cattle inseminated under the programme.

Project Aligns with FG Livestock Agenda

The coordinator noted that the project is also creating economic opportunities for women and strengthening resilience among rural households across participating states.

L-PRES is a six-year, $500 million World Bank-funded initiative aimed at improving livestock productivity, strengthening resilience, and enhancing value chain commercialisation across Nigeria.

Abubakar said the programme aligns with the Federal Government’s Livestock Transformation Agenda under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Speaking at the meeting, the World Bank Task Team Leader for L-PRES, Dr Menniviel Sene, called for faster implementation to ensure sustainable benefits for livestock farmers and rural communities.

The meeting brought together representatives of the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, and state project coordinators.