Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda has flagged off the 2026 Annual Mass Livestock Vaccination Exercise, aimed at preventing and controlling major infectious diseases affecting cattle, sheep and goats across the state.
The ceremony took place on Monday at Shifdawa Fulani Village in Batagarawa Local Government Area, marking the start of a statewide vaccination campaign against Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, Foot and Mouth Disease, and Peste-des-Petits Ruminants.
Governor Radda described the initiative as a strategic step to protect animal health, improve livestock productivity and strengthen public health, noting that livestock production remains a vital pillar of Katsina State’s economy.
He said vaccination remains one of the most effective measures for preventing disease outbreaks and ensuring healthier, more productive livestock populations.
The governor also highlighted Katsina’s rich history in livestock production and trade, recalling the state’s long-standing reputation in animal husbandry and its connection to the famous Moroccan leather once traded across North Africa and Europe.
Radda warned that diseases such as CBPP, FMD, and PPR continue to pose serious threats to livestock development by causing high mortality, reducing productivity, and inflicting economic losses on farmers and herders. 
According to him, the exercise will cover all 361 wards in the state’s 34 local government areas and will last for 18 days, including 12 days of house-to-house vaccination for small ruminants and six days of statewide vaccination against CBPP and FMD.
He noted that Katsina’s position as a border state with the Niger Republic, coupled with the constant movement of livestock through transhumance and cross-border trade, makes the vaccination exercise both timely and critical for disease control and public safety.
Governor Radda reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening veterinary services, livestock development and agricultural systems in line with global best practices.
He also commended development partners, including IOM, UNDP and Co-group, for their support, while calling on livestock farmers, herders, traditional rulers, security agencies and other stakeholders to cooperate fully with vaccination teams to ensure the success of the exercise.
In his address at the event, the Katsina State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Ahmed Mohammed, said animal husbandry remains a way of life for many households in Katsina State and stressed the importance of sustained vaccination efforts to protect livestock, improve rural livelihoods and enhance food security.
On his part, the Chairman of Batagarawa Local Government Area, Yahaya Lawal, outlined efforts by the council to promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders while appealing for the completion of housing projects for internally displaced persons in the area.
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