ADB lends $21m to develop livestock farming

The African Development Bank (ADB) has signed a loan agreement worth US 21.4 million with the Chadian government to support livestock farming, a project that is hoped will increase animal production and the income of farmers, as well as create jobs for women and young people. In a news release on Wednesday, the Bank said that through the project targeted groups, including women and young people could also seek the project's support to secure loans to finance varied income generating activities. The money was intended to finance the country's Pastoral cattle Breeding System Project (PASEP) and would hopefully improve the output of the units of production. It estimates that this would enhance the income generation among breeders by 10 percent and meat production by 20 percent. According to the Bank, the project in the long run will help reduce poverty and improve food security in Chad. The loan will also be used to modernise production technology, including improvement of disease surveillance, livestock markets, slaughter houses, meat stalls, as well as establish a control and certification unit of animal-based food products. The project will cover 16 administrative districts in the Sahelian pastoral zone, the Sahelo-Sudanese zone and the northern part of the Sudanese zone. The agreement was signed by the Bank's Vice-President, West and Central operations Bisi Ogunjobi and Chad's Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation Djimranga Dadnadji.