The government through National Agricultural Quarantine Service, has banned the

indiscriminate killing of donkeys. This will allow for sustainable development of the

industry.

Speaking to news men at a stakeholder meeting organized by National Agricultural

Quarantine Service in collaboration with Amber-Tone Logistics Limited for stakeholders in

the donkey value Chain, the Zonal Vice President of National Donkey Breeders, Marketers and

Exporters Organization, Samson Nweke said the regulation will help stakeholders in

expanding and sustaining the business.

The essence of the workshop with the theme, Breeding/Ranching programme for

sustainable Donkey Hide Export is to sensitize stakeholders on ways of modern donkey

farming.

The Chairman of Donkey marketers in Kaduna, Ahmad Mohammed said the regulation of

the business and licensing of stakeholders is a welcome development. He expressed sadness

over excessive taxation of their members in Kaduna State. He Said that their members are

taxed by the state and local governments on a daily basis.

On the other hand, the secretary of the association, Abdulmalik A. Kaita said the idea to

regulate the sector by National Agricultural Quarantine Service is better than outright ban

earlier planned by the government. He revealed that there are over 10,000 people in the

donkey value chain.

He therefore said that their members will do anything possible to sustain the business and

save it from going into extinction. He revealed also that the National Animal Production Institute has been providing their members with technical know-how on ranching.

Another stakeholder at the event, DIG (Barr) Godwin Chijioke Nwobodo (Rtd) said

government regulation of the donkey value chain will lead to sustainable development in

the sub-sector.

Ideally a donkey matures for slaughter at 12 months, and can be killed for consumption. The

regulation has now banned the killing of donkeys until they are about four years. This is to

allow them to breed for some time before being killed.