The Kwara State Government has launched a statewide artificial insemination programme aimed at improving cattle breeds, increasing milk production and strengthening the livestock value chain.
The initiative, being implemented in partnership with Genex URUS American International Animal Breeding Company, commenced with 500 cattle in September, with the state government targeting about 1,000 animals by the end of the year.
The Commissioner for Livestock Development, Oloruntoyosi Thomas, disclosed this during the flag-off of the programme at TGB Farms in Ganiki, Ilorin South Local Government Area.
Thomas said the intervention was part of the state’s broader effort to modernise livestock production and give farmers access to improved cattle breeds.
Programme to cover thousands of cattle
According to the commissioner, the current 500-animal phase is only the beginning, with plans to extend artificial insemination to thousands of cattle across Kwara.
She explained that the animals participating in the first phase had undergone synchronisation to prepare them for the insemination process.
The programme, she said, would continue beyond the initial target as the state expands its breeding and livestock development efforts.
New artificial insemination centre planned
The state government is also planning to establish an artificial insemination centre at Malete, while similar facilities are expected to be introduced in other communities.
The centres are intended to make breeding services more accessible to cattle farmers and support the expansion of improved livestock production across the state.
The initiative comes as Kwara intensifies reforms aimed at transforming livestock from largely traditional animal keeping into a more commercially driven sector. The state government has identified stronger breeding services, pasture development, animal health and private-sector participation as important areas for improving productivity.
Students, youths get practical exposure
The programme is also being used to develop local expertise in artificial insemination.
Students of animal production from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State University, Malete, and Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, participated in the practical exercise.
Thomas said involving students and young people from pastoralist communities would help create a pool of trained artificial-insemination technicians who could support the sector as the programme expands.
She added that developing local expertise could reduce the cost of providing the service and improve the effectiveness of the breeding process.
Focus on dairy production
The Team Lead of Genex URUS American International Animal Breeding Company, Saka Shittu, said the programme was using selected semen to improve cattle quality, particularly for dairy production.
He encouraged cattle owners, pastoralists and smallholder dairy farmers to participate in the initiative.
Shittu said the service was currently being provided free of charge in Kwara, with individual farmers entitled to have two cattle inseminated at no cost.
Government seeks livestock transformation
The artificial insemination programme is part of Kwara’s wider livestock-development agenda, which includes efforts to improve food production, create jobs and raise incomes for farmers and pastoralists.
The state government has also identified weaknesses in breeding services as one of the issues requiring sustained attention in the livestock sector.
For livestock farmers, improved breeding can provide an avenue to gradually increase the quality and productivity of their herds. For the state, the initiative represents another step towards building a livestock industry with stronger production, processing and commercial potential.
The government said the programme would continue to expand, with stakeholder cooperation expected to remain important to its implementation and long-term success.
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