PHILIP CHISALU, Lusaka
THE ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has procured laboratory equipment at a cost of K4.5 million in its quest to increase the production of high quality marketable livestock.
Minster of Fisheries and Livestock Greyford Monde said in Chilanga recently that the procurement of the laboratory equipment is in an effort to improve laboratory diagnostics, which is fundamental to surveillance, as well as effective control of livestock diseases.
Mr Monde said the equipment will help control livestock diseases such as foot and mouth.
“If livestock diseases are prevented, this will enable the country to increase its production and productivity of high quality livestock, thus making it one of the major net exporters of red and white meat,” he said.
He further urged livestock farmers to co-operate with measures put in place in the control of livestock diseases and take responsibility of reporting any sign of livestock diseases to the officers in his ministry.
He said farmers should not wait until the animals are very sick or even die as this will not help increase production.
Mr Monde said the equipment has been procured under the World Bank-funded Livestock Development and Animal Health Project (LDAHP), whose goal is to contribute to increased rural incomes, accelerated and shared growth, and rural poverty reduction.
He said the LDAHP targets selected species that include cattle, small ruminants (sheep and goats), pigs and poultry for small holder production in Western, Lusaka, Southern, Central, Eastern and part of the Copperbelt provinces.