NW Region is 2nd in beef Production

By Francis Ekongang Nzante in B’da

Dr. Atanga Heinendez, the Regional Delegate for Livestock and Fisheries in the North West has said the Region now occupies the second position in Cameroon in the domain of Beef Cattle. He made the revelation recently in a press briefing in his Bamenda office in the wake of the launch of the annual mass vaccination program for cattle in the Region.

                The Region he said has over 500.000 cattle and that thanks to the Heifer project the Region now boasts of the highest daily production.

                Atanga further said that in Poultry production the NW Region was second only to the West Region which occupies first position in the country. Every Division in the Region has its own specifics, he said.

                 “When you talk of cattle then its Donga Mantung, Bui and Boyo Divisions.When it comes to poultry and pig farming then its Mezam and Ngoketunjia. In Aqua culture we are a little behind but we are doing well and this activity is concentrated around Mezam, Boyo and Ngoketunjia. When we talk of fish harvest it is of course Ngoketunjia with the Bambalang fish,” he noted.

                The Ministry has the obligation to make sure that good quality beef is available for consumption by the public.

                “To realize its objectives the Ministry has put in place extension services for continuous training. Projects like ACEFA train farmers regularly to follow up the farmers designed production process. There is also PNVIA which permits farmers to be taught modern techniques of production. The most recent that we have is LIFIDEP; Livestock and Fishery Development Project which is funded by the Islamic Development Bank. This project provides infrastructure and other accessories to make sure that Livestock and Fishery activities in the North West are at their utmost.

                On a positive note the Regional Delegate said he could not say that he was satisfied with the success so far achieved because success is a journey.

                “We are on the right track and we are slowly but surely getting there,” he said.

                The Ministry has put in place so many facilities for the population of the North West Region to benefit from. We have the veterinary School in Jakiri that trains technicians, the AFOP Programme and Training Centre at Ku-Bome in Mbengwi; an Aqua Culture Station used for the training of youths, the Nazareth Centre in Bamenda and the PRTC Nfonta, Bambui in the Tubah Municipality.