In emerging markets, most formal jobs are generated by Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), which create 7 out of 10 jobs. The United Nations postulates that 600 million jobs will be needed by 2030 to absorb the growing global workforce, which makes MSMEs development a high priority for many governments around the world.
The Nigerian government has particularly made moves in this direction with the Anchor Borrower’s Program in November 2015, to provide farm inputs in kind and cash to small-holder farmers (SHFs) to boost agricultural production. There is also the very recent move which is the Agric for Food and Jobs Plan, AFJP, that would mitigate effects of novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic, in the agricultural sector. This is in a bid to reduce unemployment and in the process and ensure food security which will consequently boost the economy.
The European Union Support to Livestock Disease Surveillance Knowledge Integration has at the core of its objective to increase the revenue of smallholder farming businesses which is in line with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to promote prosperity and well-being for all by addressing social and environmental needs in the context of global changes. Livestock diseases and their related costs of management are ranked as the biggest economic threat to the livelihood of micro businesses of poor rural farmers and livestock owners.
The annual global damage due to PPR is estimated to be between $1.4 and $2.1 billion in Nigeria. Newcastle Disease (ND) is seen as the major constraint to micro and small-scale poultry businesses, because of its ability to wipe out whole flocks of chickens. These diseases have no cure but they can be prevented and controlled from spreading by vaccination.
The LIDISKI Project is working to see that huge losses to poultry and livestock businesses are mitigated to ensure economic stability and job security by ensuring the availability of improved vaccines. New businesses will also spring up as more Community Animal Health Workers will be empowered to provide quality vaccination services.