A five-day training for pastoralists on new innovation and technology on animal production and protection kicked off in South Sudan’s Aweil State on Monday.
A number of issues, including ways of controlling diseases that affect livestock in the region, were discussed during the training.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Dr. Jerves Gibson, the Livestock Project Officer for Help Restore Youth, a local organization operating in the state, said they are establishing pastoralist field schools to bring local communities together to learn new ways of animal production and protection.
He further said pastoralist groups should be empowered to enable them understand new trends that secure their herds to remain productive.
“There are a lot of challenges because even if these pastoralists have cattle, they are still living in poverty. They don’t have animal healthcare services,” Gibson said.
He urged the trainees to disseminate the message to cattle keepers.
Santino Marieu, one of the trainees, said the new technologies learned during the training will be disseminated to grass root communities.
Ayat Mawut, a participant, said they have been using local medicines to treat livestock, which affected animal production.
The livestock project in Barmayen, Aroyo and Malek Alel areas is funded by European Union and implemented by Help Restore Youth.