Prof. Terry Ansah Outlines Innovations to Boost Sheep and Goat Farming in UDS 19th Inaugural Lecture
The University for Development Studies (UDS) hosted its 19th Inaugural Lecture on Friday[April 4, 2024], with Prof. Terry Ansah, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Consumer Sciences, delivering a presentation on transforming sheep and goat farming in Ghana’s arid and semi-arid zones.
The lecture, titled, “Feeding the Future: Transforming Sheep and Goat Farming in the Arid and Semi-arid Zones through Innovative Feed Solutions,” Prof. Ansah focused on the critical role of feed innovation in improving small ruminant farming in northern Ghana’s Savanna Agro-Ecological Zone.
He addressed feed scarcity, especially during the dry season, as a factor militating against increased and quality production and proposed innovative solutions, including the use of high-nutrient forage varieties like Brachiaria and Pearl millet, as well as crop residues to bridge the nutritional gap for small ruminants.
“The scarcity of quality feed during the dry season is a major constraint for livestock farmers,” he said. “This leads to lower productivity and limits the sector’s potential in contributing to national food security and rural livelihoods.”
He also stressed the importance of strategic investment in feed production, youth entrepreneurship, and policy interventions to boost livestock productivity and ensure food security.
Prof. Ansah also called for agricultural trainees to be included in the government’s allowance scheme.
“If we are serious about agricultural transformation, we must support the next generation of agricultural professionals,” he said, stressing the potential of the livestock sector in reducing poverty and ensuring food security.
The event brought together academics, traditional leaders, clergy, students, and media, underscoring the importance of livestock development in national agricultural discourse.
Inaugural lectures at UDS serve as an academic rite of passage, formally ushering newly promoted professors into their roles while showcasing their research to the broader academic and public communities.
With this lecture, Prof. Terry Ansah formally joins the distinguished table of professors at UDS, an achievement underscoring his leadership, scholarship, and impact on agricultural development in Ghana.
About The Author
