The Ekiti State Government has begun a mass livestock vaccination campaign targeting 1.2 million animals across 16 local government areas. The exercise, launched on Monday, 8 April 2024, is part of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project funded by the World Bank. It aims to control and eliminate diseases such as peste des petits ruminants, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, and foot-and-mouth disease. Over 200 veterinary personnel have been deployed to administer vaccines to cattle, goats, sheep and pigs.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adebayo Oyebade, stated that the campaign would run for six weeks and cover all 1,496 communities in Ekiti. "Our goal is zero mortality from vaccine-preventable livestock diseases," he said. Farmers are being urged to present their animals at designated centres or allow vaccinators access to their farms. The government says the initiative will boost food security, increase farmers' income and enhance regional trade.
Dr. Adebayo Oyebade's promise of zero mortality sounds ambitious, but past campaigns in Ekiti have faltered at the last mile despite similar fanfare. If this exercise reaches all 1,496 communities as claimed, it could improve meat and dairy output in a state where many rely on farming for survival. The real test is whether the World Bank-funded L-PRES Project sustains support beyond the six-week push.
