By Ayuureyisiya Kapini Atafori
National Livestock Day will be held annually to serve as a platform that brings together government officials and stakeholders to brainstorm issues in the livestock industry, Imam Sonde Hanafi, President of Ghana National Association of Cattle Farmers (GNACAF), has stated.
Imam Hanafi said the event would also be used to “discuss topics that will improve its general development and solutions to challenges facing the industry.” At the opening of the event recently in Accra, he said: “The livestock industry has played and continues to play a significant role in the economic development of our country. National Livestock Day 2024 was held on the theme ‘A Thriving Livestock Industry Towards Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security for Economic Growth.’
The event was organized by GNACF in collaboration with MoFA, and Ministry of National Security. There was an exhibition of large and small ruminants such as cattle, goats and sheep. Meat, animal feed and supplements, and other livestock-related products were exhibited and sold. The event is forerunner to the annual Farmers Day scheduled for 6th December. The National Livestock Day was launched in Accra on 10th September.
Imam Hanafi said: “The livestock industry especially the cattle sector occupies a big place in providing food and nutrition security, income generation and employment to millions of people in the country. The livestock industry, especially the cattle sector, occupies a big place in providing food and nutrition security, income generation and employment to millions of people in the country.”
The GNACAF President noted that the livestock industry, especially the cattle sub-sector, is confronted with numerous challenges like animal diseases and health issues, costly veterinary services, theft and rustling, lack of proper data collection and use of modern technology, and perennial farmer-herder conflicts, which have caused loss of lives and destruction of properties.
He expressed the gratitude of GNACAF to MoFA, and Ministry of National Security for their support. “We look forward to the continuation of this collaboration in future,” he added.
Alhaji Mohammed Hardi Tufeiru, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Livestock, called on the stakeholders to deepen collaboration in order to improve livestock rearing and meat production for the local and export market.
Alhaji Tufeiru said these could be attained by encouraging cooperation among the stakeholders such as GNACAF, Animal Science Department of the University of Ghana, Association of Butchers, Livestock Traders, Fulbe Livestock, Ghana Cattle Ranching and Transhumance Committee, and Animal Production Directorate of MoFA, among others.
On behalf GNACA, Imam Hanafi presented a state cow to the Deputy Minister to be given to President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
