WorldStage— The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) project in Borno State has intensified its agricultural intervention by targeting no fewer than 3,000 cattle for artificial insemination and comprehensive veterinary services.
The State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Dr. Makinta Ali, disclosed this during a media briefing in Maiduguri, noting that the breeding and health services are being extended to livestock farmers completely free of charge.
The initiative forms a core component of the state’s broader animal husbandry transformation roadmap, championed in partnership with the World Bank.
According to project officials, over 1,100 cattle have already been artificially inseminated across designated hubs since the rollout of the exercise.
To sustain the programme, L-PRES has set up strategic infrastructure, including artificial insemination and breeding centers in locations such as Ruga Mafa, Gubio, and Rumirgo (Askira/Uba).
The project has also constructed a liquid nitrogen production plant designed to preserve bull semen and support ongoing crossbreeding efforts aimed at replacing low-yield native stock with higher-performing, resilient breeds.
Beyond genetics, the project addresses critical systemic bottlenecks in Borno’s pastoral economy, including recurring animal diseases, forage scarcity, and farmer-herder friction.
L-PRES has established 20 hectares of improved pasture across Ruga settlements in Mafa, Rumirgo, and Gubio.
More than 1,000 livestock farmers, including a significant cohort of women, have been trained in alternative feed production and modern herd management.
Also, Community-based committees and early-warning mechanisms have been deployed in tandem with traditional and religious leaders to preempt resource-based clashes.
Project coordinators emphasized that combining genetic upgrades with localized feed security and veterinary care will restore Borno’s commercial livestock standing and safeguard rural livelihoods.
