President Evans Atta Mills
President John Evan Atta Mills has lauded Veterinary doctors in Ghana for the rapid and successful control of Avian Influenza when it first hit the country in April 2007.
He said for Ghana to be able to develop its livestock and poultry sectors successfully it needs to have a vibrant veterinary service delivery system as part of nation building.
Addressing the opening of the 5th Pan Commonwealth Veterinary Conference held in Accra on Monday, President Mills stressed that livestock and poultry production was the bedrock of major economic, social and cultural roles in the livelihood of Ghanaians and plays a major role in its agriculture system.
The 4-day conference dubbed “The Role of Veterinarians and Livestock Farmers in Food Security and Poverty Alleviation” is being attended by over 300 veterinarians from the 54 Commonwealth member countries including the Dr. Bernard Vallat, Director General of World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). It seeks to brainstorm on the way forward in addressing the current global food crisis which has shaken the international agricultural economy and the fragility of the global agricultural system.
He said commercial livestock and poultry farming had become very essential in view of Ghana’s determination to provide business for farmers as well as provide enough protein for the increasing population in a sustainable manner without polluting the environment.
He indicated that the projected increase in animal population and increasing demand of veterinary drug companies, academia, research institutions, as well as security services for well-trained specialists in Ghana constitute a veritable driving force for the veterinary profession.
President Mills averred that statistics available indicate that the per capital consumption of meat in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African countries was quite low whilst domestic Meat Production was about 40 per cent of national requirements.
“This emphasizes the urgency for us to support livestock and poultry development in Ghana and other African countries to meet the challenges and constraints of the 21 century,” he said.
According to him, the livestock sector of a nation requires well trained veterinary professionals, appropriate institutions, research, and development interventions to support its development.
He said in view of the situation, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had supported the establishment of two new Veterinary Medical schools, one at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, and the other at University of Ghana in Accra to produce more veterinary surgeons.
President Mills said as part of measures to ensure food security, government has mapped out projects and also purchased and distributed 45,000 small ruminants, 100 pigs and 80,000 cockerels to small holder livestock and poultry farmers to help increase the numbers of livestock and poultry in the country.
He, therefore, called for the continuous support of veterinarians to bring about improved livestock and poultry sectors that would address the danger posed by emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases to animal production and human health.
The President of the Commonwealth Veterinary Association (CVA), Dr. Richard Suu-Ire said the Pan Commonwealth Veterinary Conferences were a major part of the technical activities of the CVA which are aimed at developing the capacities of members.
He said Ghana’s conference which was one of the largest to be held in Africa would discuss the role of women in livestock development, food safety and security, and zoonotic diseases to help alleviate poverty.
He said an association which seeks among other things, to promote animal health and welfare, and veterinary public health in general with increased productivity in mind, should be considered a crucial partner in developmental processes.
He said in world history as diverse factors converge to affect the demand of production and distribution of food over the next 20 to 40 years, the food production system of every country must become sustainable whilst adapting to climate change and at the same time substantially contributing to climate change mitigation.
According to Dr. Suu-Ire, as human settlement was becoming more urbanized the risks of disease outbreaks would increase as over 60 per cent of zoonoses or animal diseases affect humans.
He said better awareness and enhanced capacity such as is being pursued through activities of the CVA were fundamental to this objective.
“The Veterinary profession’s contribution to public health is now universally acknowledged as vital”, he said.
Dr. Kwasi Bowi Darkwa, the President of the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA), said the Accra conference will focus on the use of animals and their by products to improve the quality of life of people in less privileged areas of the Commonwealth, especially in Africa and Asia.
He said a scientific programme has been prepared to deal with Advances in Veterinary Science, the future of livestock in Africa, animal welfare, role of women in livestock development in Africa, Aqua culture and continuing professional development among others.
He said the livestock sector was central to food security not only for rural small holders but also for urban consumers.
“Livestock play an important role in four dimensions of food security namely, availability, access, stability and utilization”, he noted.
Dr. Darkwa stressed that reducing rural poverty through agricultural development alone was difficult, hence the need to foster development in rural areas in ways that benefit entire rural communities and not only those who were engaged in livestock production activities.
Dr. William Amanfu, an International Veterinary Consultant who chaired the opening event indicated that the theme for the conference was very appropriate to issues currently facing the veterinary profession, as an integral part of government and private sector driven initiatives to increase the level of food consumption of animal origin.
He said the conference offers a unique opportunity to broaden the technical knowledge in veterinary and allied professional fields.
He prayed that the outcome of the conference which will end on Thursday, March 24 will provide the requisite platform for a quantum leap in the contribution of the Veterinary and allied professions to ensure food security and poverty alleviation.
By Henrietta Abayie
See original here: