By Destiny Obinna
The Taraba State Government and the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) have warned that poor leadership and weak financial management are putting livestock cooperatives across the state at risk.
The warning was given in Jalingo during a five-day training programme organised by L-PRES for cooperative executives from different parts of the state.
The training is aimed at improving leadership, financial management and accountability among cooperative groups involved in livestock production.
Speaking through the State ICT and Communities Officer, Ezra Atimas, the State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Mr Hananiah Albert, said poor management had made it difficult for some intervention programmes to achieve their intended impact.
He urged cooperative leaders to keep accurate financial records, operate transparently and ensure that members benefited from programmes designed to support livestock farmers.
Albert said cooperatives had an important role in ensuring that L-PRES interventions reached farmers and livestock-producing communities.
He added that poor leadership and inadequate records could undermine efforts to empower small-scale farmers and improve their access to markets.
Also speaking, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics in the Taraba State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Yohanna Bulus, said many agricultural cooperatives were weakened by poor financial management and ineffective administration.
Bulus urged cooperative executives to adopt better business practices and strengthen their internal management systems to ensure the sustainability of their organisations.
He said cooperatives could contribute significantly to reducing poverty and improving food security if properly managed.
The organisers also urged the cooperative leaders to involve women, youths and vulnerable groups in their activities, saying inclusive leadership would strengthen the sustainability of the organisations.
