Rwanda Earmarks Over 300,000 Cows for Families to Reduce Poverty By 2012

As part of the income distribution programme to reduce poverty levels among Rwandans, the government through its agency, Rwanda Animal Resources Development Authority (RARDA), will distribute about 339,400 heads of cattle to at least 600,000 families by 2012, the programme coordinator, Dr. Everest Namahungu, told APA exclusively in Kigali.

During an interview on Thursday, Dr. Everest Namahungu disclosed that the cows will be distributed to poor families under the Government poverty reduction initiative of “One Cow One Family”.

He said the government has already given out over 30,000 heads of cattle to poor families, and plans to increase the figure.

“Our target is for Rwandans to own a cow and have a source of income. We are now recruiting 416 veterinarians in all sectors countrywide to train farmers in milk handling, disease control and animal feeding,” Namahungu said.

According to the RARDA coordinator, the project has several other activities that include selecting people to assist in identifying the poor families and animals to be distributed.

More emphasis has been put on sensitizing local farmers in order to upscale the success of the project, he noted.

Source African Press Agency

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