THE Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in Mwinilunga District of North-Western Province has empowered five cooperatives with 20 heifers and one Bull.
District Fisheries and Livestock Coordinator Chimuka Chifuwe says this is part of the Stocking and Restocking Programme under the Enhanced Small Livestock Investment Programme (ESLIP).
ZANIS reports that Mr Chifuwe said this during the handover of the 21 animals to benefiting cooperatives.
“This is under the Ministry of Livestock programme whose objective is to increase the cattle population in the country, and we are delighted that Mwinilunga is one of the districts that has benefited from this programme,” he said.
Mr Chifuwe said the intervention is part of the government’s initiative of increasing the cattle population in the country and restocking the livestock lost due to animal diseases such as Contagious bovine PlueroPneumonia (CBPP) experienced in the district some few years ago.
He explained that the Ministry in collaboration with other cooperating partners targets to increase the national stocks of animals from the current Five Million to Seven Millon by the year 2027.
Mr Chifuwe explained that the animals have been given as seed stock for the district with initial beneficiaries expected to pass on the first female offsprings to other cooperatives once the animals produce their first calves.
And speaking when he officially handed over the animals to the cooperatives, District Commissioner Harrison Kamuna said the move is a demonstration of President Hakainde Hichilema’s desire to expand and diversify the agriculture sector.
“President Hakainde Hichilema is an accomplished farmer, he promised that he will expand and improve the agriculture sector, today three years after being voted into office, he is delivering without segregation,” he said.
Mr Kamuna called on beneficiaries to continue supporting President Hichilema so that he can stay in office to continue with his focused, diverse and inclusive developmental agenda for the country.
Meanwhile, both Samuteba Ward Councillor Jane Keyala and Mwinilunga Parliamentary Office Professional Assistant Yvonne Walasa who represented the area Member of Parliament Newton Samakayi urged beneficiaries to take good care of the animals and pass on to other beneficiaries to ensure sustainability and access to animals by more cooperatives.
And in moving a vote of thanks, on behalf of other cooperatives, Ephraim Chizeng’u appreciated the government for empowering them with the animals, promising to take good care of the cattle in order to achieve the objective of increasing the national cattle population.
“We promise the government that we shall take good care of these animals, we shall ensure that once they produce we give others so that all of us can have animals,” he said.
Mr Chizeng’u said the non segregated approach of delivering empowerment and developmental programmes by government is rare among many leaders hence their resolve to continue supporting President Hakainde Hichilema.
Multipurpose cooperatives which have benefited from this initiative include; Kayeng’u from Kanyama ward, Kuhanjika from Mundwiji ward, Chamzenzi from Samuteba ward, Chakalika and Kaseng’a from Lumwana west and Kamapanda wards respectively.
