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The Somali Animals, Crops and Natural Resources Development Bureau said it has given special attention to water development and animal health to sustainably solve the recurrent food insecurity in the state.

Bureau Head Abdulahi Abdi Aden told WIC that several activities of preserving moisture and preventing death of domestic animals have been conducted with over 10 million birr allocated by the regional food security bureau last fiscal year.

According to him, medium ponds with a capacity of holding 28,000 cubic meters of water were prepared in four selected areas of Kebribeyah and Jijjiga woredas to avoid the death and migration of cattle due to scarcity of water and feed during drought seasons.

He added that study on ways of obtaining water has also been carried out to undertake similar activities in Godeh, Afder, Liben, Shinile and Degehabur zones so as to intensify production of animal feed and crops through irrigation in the coming years.

With regard to vet care,he stated that three health posts have been readied for services and medicines and vaccines valued at four million birr distributed to woredas to treat and care for more than 8.5 million domestic animals.

Abdulahi said as per the agreement reached with Haromaya University 200 veterinarians have started attending training in Jijjiga to start work after six months.

He further noted that the bureau has designed a strategic plan to gradually transform the development activities started by the pastoralists and semi pastoralists to household packages and ensure food security of each.

To this end many agricultural professionals are undergoing training, he said. Last fiscal year, the Head added,350 professionals were employed while 250 will be hired soon and 530 others are being trained in various Agriculture Technique and Vocational Training Institutions.


Godeynews.com (Source: WIC)