Adeleke Mulls Localisation of Livestock Innovations

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has expressed the readiness of the state government to localise modern livestock innovations with a view to developing the state dairy and livestock sub-sectors.

Speaking after a visit to a large dairy farm in Northern France and attending the world largest livestock summit in Clermont Ferrand with French partners, Governor Adeleke described advancement in livestock sectors as breathtaking, noting particularly the application of high tech and AI in the farm process.

Accompanied by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Tola Faseru, and other top policy advisers, the governor, who watched the farm tech application processes, said it was noteworthy how the robot was used to milk the cows as well as the integration of dairy production into the livestock farming.

Aside from examining the special breed of cows on the farm and several thousands of hectares of land devoted to mechanized  farming, the governor also witnessed the special education imparted on the cows, leading to crow-machine rapport in the dairy production process.

At the summit in Clermont Ferrand, the governor met several farm tech companies alongside several livestock specialized farms which expressed readiness to support Osun State in the development of its livestock sector.

The high point of the visit was the roundtable discussion between the French partners and the Osun State delegation with the following conclusions- a visit to state by a delegation of the French partners, adoption of a demonstration farm ahead of such visitation.

development of required policy framework by the Ministry of Agriculture and a development of a memorandum of understanding to cover training in modern livestock skills at Osun technical schools.

Governor Adeleke hosted delegations from other states of Nigeria and Africa with several of such officials informing the governor of their full awareness of several positive sectoral developments in Osun State.

Speaking before leaving France for Nigeria en route London, Governor Adeleke reviewed the summit and passed this verdict saying:  “Our attendance here is in furtherance of our commitment to entrenched agro-industrialisation in Osun State.

“We have seen the role of AI and high tech innovations in modern livestock farming. We saw the deliberate integration of technology in the operations of the farm. We are open to partnership for the adoption of new practices. The Commissioner for Agriculture engaged the French partners on the details.

“We are in a hurry to transform Osun State and that is why you see me doing a governance marathon. We will leverage the new livestock agenda of the federal government in our drive to adopt new innovations in our subnational efforts.”

Adeleke was accompanied on the trip by two Special Advisers, including the Special Adviser on SDGs, Hon Bamkole Omishore.