The Kwara State Government has commenced a statewide artificial insemination programme aimed at improving cattle breeds and increasing milk and dairy production across the state.

The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with Genex URUS, a United States-based international animal breeding company.

The Press Secretary, Ministry of Livestock Development, Ahmed Ajiboye, announced this in a statement issued in Ilorin on Sunday.

The Commissioner for Livestock Development, Oloruntoyosi Thomas, said the programme would commence with the artificial insemination of 500 cattle in September.

Thomas said the state government planned to reach about 1,000 cattle by the end of the year before scaling up the intervention to cover more animals.

“One of the ways to improve breeds is through artificial insemination. We are going to inseminate thousands of cattle across the state. We started the process this month with the synchronisation of the animals, and now we are doing the insemination,” she said.

The commissioner said the government was also working towards establishing an artificial insemination centre in Malete, with plans to extend similar facilities to other communities.

She said the initiative was part of broader efforts to modernise livestock production and make improved breeding services more accessible to farmers.

Thomas added that the ministry was training technicians in artificial insemination to provide the human capacity required to sustain the programme.

She said students from tertiary institutions and young people from pastoralist communities were among those taking part in the training.

According to her, the capacity-building exercise would strengthen cattle synchronisation, lower the cost of the process and improve the success rate of artificial insemination.

Thomas led officials from the ministry, as well as representatives of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) and Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), to TGB Farms in Ganiki, Ilorin South Local Government Area.

Animal Production students from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State University, Malete, and Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, were also part of the delegation.

At the farm, the team conducted artificial insemination on cattle and assured farmers that the intervention would provide them with greater access to improved breeding services.

The Director of Livestock in the ministry, Ahmed Umar, expressed confidence that the programme could attain an 85 per cent success rate.

Umar called on relevant stakeholders to support the initiative and work with the government to ensure its effective implementation.

“We want to develop this sector the way it should be developed by having improved breeds. This cannot be done alone. All stakeholders must come together to ensure success. That is where we are at the moment,” he said.

The Team Lead, Genex URUS, Dr Saka Shittu, commended the state government for joining the artificial insemination initiative.

Shittu encouraged cattle owners, particularly Fulani farmers and smallholder dairy producers, to participate in the programme.

“We appeal to all farmers, especially our Fulani colleagues and small-holder dairy ranchers, to key into this programme,” he said.

He advised farmers seeking clarification or having concerns about the initiative to contact L-PRES, which is sponsoring the programme in Kwara.

Shittu disclosed that the artificial insemination service was being offered free of charge at the initial stage and would focus primarily on cattle.

He explained that the programme would utilise selected improved semen aimed at enhancing dairy production.

According to him, each farmer would be entitled to have two cattle inseminated at no cost, urging eligible farmers to take advantage of the opportunity.

The Director of TGB Farms, Ishola Peace, appreciated the government for extending the intervention to farmers.

Owodunni Lawal, an Animal Production student at the University of Ilorin, also commended the government for providing students with practical exposure to artificial insemination techniques.

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