Improving Livelihoods Through Goat Production and Feed Resource Management in Yelwa Village, Bauchi State
The project will provide revolving funds (goats and facilities for urea treatment of rice straw) and improved education in animal health, marketing, feed production and conservation. It aims to promote income generation and self sufficiency in over 50 households (in the first year) with additional households becoming involved over time. The urea treated straw will be promoted in addition to other existing feed resources. Particular emphasis will be on poor, unemployed, vulnerable women in Yelwa community, Bauchi, Nigeria. Volunteers (Staff and Students) of the Animal Production Programme, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi will provide the necessary skills and training to the women groups.
The project aims to:
- Promote unity and peaceful coexistence among members of the community and empower them to take collective decision on how to harness their resources as it relates to their livelihood.
- Provide the community with seed money to start goat production and manage livestock feed resources mainly through urea treatment of rice straws. This will ensure sustainable income and employment of family labour to increase food security, reduce poverty and health (improved livelihood) amongst community participants.
- Develop environmentally friendly best practices among the community by better management of the abundant unutilised crop residues to feed their livestock and reduce bush fires occasioned by the straws left in the field also nutrient recycling i.e collecting manure from their goats to fertilise their home gardens and crop farms.
- Provide the communities with means to meet their pressing needs through the sales of excess goats, urea treated crop residues and investing in future projects. (e.g purchasing a milling machine to further generate income for the community )
- Provide an avenue for exchange of knowledge and technology transfer from the staff and students of Animal Production programme of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi with the neighbouring participating community leading to better knowledge of livestock extension, animal health, feed and husbandry.
