He said although the regions were noted for their production of livestock, governments have over the years paid lip service to helping small holder livestock farmers to increase production to meet the high demand for meat in the country.

Mr. Yakubu disclosed this during a one-day capacity building workshop for Municipal and District Livestock Officers and community livestock workers on improved ruminant livestock production as a viable Business Enterprise in a changing Climate held in Bolgatanga.

“We think revamping the Zuarungu Meat Factory will create employment opportunities for young people in the Upper East Region and other regions, considering the various livestock value chain such as production, processing, and marketing.”

Also, instead of transporting the animals from Upper East, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to Accra and Kumasi, they could be slaughtered in the Zuarungu meat factory, stored and airlifted or transported to Accra thus saving cost and boosting the economy of the region,” he said.

Mr. Yakubu urged the government to invest in livestock production by establishing a venture capital with low-interest rate to support livestock farmers.

The workshop trained livestock officers on how to improve ruminant production, increase productivity, and increasing income.

They were also taken through exploiting investment opportunities within the livestock value chain for jobs, food and income security.

Mr. Yakubu said though the three regions of the North had an ideal condition for livestock production the sector was bedeviled with challenges and called on the government to adopt an integrated livestock-crop production system.

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Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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