Tamale: Veterinary technical officers from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and selected District Departments of Agriculture in the Savannah Region have undergone a week-long training to enhance animal health and disease prevention efforts.
According to Ghana News Agency, the training took place in Tamale and focused on improving participants' knowledge of animal disease prevention, management, antimicrobial use, and antimicrobial resistance. Officers from Central Gonja, North Gonja, and North East Gonja Districts participated in the programme.
The training was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in collaboration with MoFA. It was part of the European Union (EU)-funded Food Security Response in Northern Ghana project. The three-year initiative, running from August 2023 to July 2026, aims to improve food security and livelihoods in selected districts across the Savannah, North East, and Upper East Regions.
Participants will conduct step-down training for livestock farmers, especially those involved in poultry, pig, sheep, and goat farming, to encourage best practices in animal health and reduce disease-related losses.
Mr. Seidu Sulemana, Savannah Regional Director of Agriculture, commended the FAO and EU for supporting the region's livestock sector. He noted that the region, despite its high livestock population, faces significant losses due to frequent disease outbreaks and limited farmer knowledge. He emphasized that the training will empower technical officers to better serve livestock farmers.
Participants were also trained in biosecurity, zoonotic disease control, and climate-smart livestock practices, and engaged in field sessions with smallholder farmers to apply their training. Mr. Sulemana urged livestock farmers to embrace regular vaccination of their animals to improve herd health and productivity.
