By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Executive Director Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) Ibadan, Professor Veronica Obatolu on Friday, said Nigeria is in dire need of more veterinarians.
Professor Obatolu said this at the presentation of certificates to 24 veterinary paraprofessionals trained by Institute in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The Executive Director declared that this became necessary to cater for the country’s livestock population.
According to her, the population of veterinarians in the country today cannot serve efficiently the livestock producing population, adding that the 7-month training was organised in order to equip the veterinary paraprofessionals to be able to attend to the basic animal health needs especially that of the smallholder farmers and rural dwellers livestock keepers who rarely have access to veterinarians.
She emphasized that there is a need for stakeholders in the animal health sector to collaborate together to ensure a thriving and prosperous livestock industry.
“The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan forwarded her Expression of Interest (EOI) to provide continuing education training for Para veterinarians in Nigeria, sequel to the FAO announcement on this sometime in August 2023”, she said.
Professor Obatolu added, “The need to cast the net wide to bring in more veterinary paraprofessionals to livestock healthcare training cannot be overemphasized. It is a known fact that the population of veterinarians in the country today cannot serve efficiently the livestock producing population”.
“Hence, the need to equip the veterinary paraprofessionals to be able to attend to the basic animal health needs especially that of the smallholder farmers and rural dwellers livestock keepers who rarely have access to veterinarians.
The IAR&T Executive Director stressed that “The stakeholders in the animal health sectors from private livestock companies, Veterinary Pharmaceuticals, Research Institutes, NGO’s and government livestock agencies must more than ever before, collaborate together to ensure a thriving and prosperous livestock industry.
“About 7 months ago, 25 veterinary paraprofessionals (VPP) sponsored by the FAO for training on “Growing your business through preventive livestock healthcare” were exposed to various advanced knowledge in animal preventive healthcare delivery system and competencies in business skills.
She noted further that “The blended approach of the training brings to bare the current day realities without neglecting the urgent need for practical sessions where, communication skills and other clinical processes were painstakingly taught and demonstrated.”
