The Gombe State Government has launched an innovative collaboration with the JUNCAO Technology Development Center, China, to advance sustainable livestock feed production while addressing environmental challenges such as desertification. The partnership, spearheaded under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) and Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) projects, also aims to create employment opportunities for youth and women in the state.

Speaking at the joint technical committee meeting, held at the L-PRES Project conference hall, Prof. U.B. Abubakar, the L-PRES Project Coordinator, emphasized the alignment of this initiative with Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s vision to transform the livestock sector for economic growth. The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from Gombe’s ACReSAL Project and Dr. Lawandi Datti from JUNCAO Technology, underscoring the strategic importance of the collaboration.

JUNCAO Technology, endorsed by the United Nations, specializes in cultivating high-nutritional forages like Napier and Elephant grasses, globally renowned for their rapid growth, livestock suitability, and contribution to environmental restoration. The center is also acclaimed for its innovations in mushroom cultivation for food, protein supplementation, and medicinal applications, providing diverse income opportunities for smallholder farmers.

This partnership is set to foster further collaborations, enabling the establishment of fodder banks and grazing colonies along re-demarcated cattle routes in Gombe. These interventions are expected to mitigate farmer-herder conflicts while ensuring sustainable livestock production in the state.

“This initiative is a vital step in addressing the pressing environmental challenges affecting agriculture and livestock productivity in Gombe,” Prof. Abubakar remarked.

As the state moves forward, this groundbreaking collaboration is poised to drive economic development, enhance food security, and serve as a model for sustainable agricultural practices in Nigeria.