The Government’s retooling of the Veterinary Services in the country has received a major boost following the handover of vehicles, motorcycles, ICT equipment and veterinary laboratory supplies by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under the Pandemic Fund Project.
The handover, which forms part of the Pandemic Fund Project under the One Health initiative, included 20 Toyota Hilux four-wheel-drive pickup vehicles, 261 motorcycles, 115 laptop computers, 110 tablet devices, 90 desktop computers, laboratory reagents and diagnostic kits, field sampling materials, personal protective equipment, as well as the rehabilitation of six veterinary laboratories across the country.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, described the intervention as a major investment in Ghana’s health security, food security, agricultural productivity and economic resilience.
He expressed appreciation to FAO for its longstanding partnership with the Ministry and acknowledged the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank through the Pandemic Fund, and other development partners for supporting the implementation of the programme.
“Today’s handover is not merely a presentation of vehicles, motorcycles, laboratory equipment and consumables. It is an investment in Ghana’s health security, food security, agricultural productivity and economic resilience,” the Minister stated.
According to Hon. Opoku, the support complements government’s efforts to strengthen agricultural policies, improve food security, promote sustainable crop and livestock production, enhance fisheries and aquaculture, build resilience to climate change, and reinforce Ghana’s animal health systems.
He explained that the project builds on the successful rollout of the FAO Event Mobile Application (EMA-i+), launched last year to improve the digital reporting of animal disease events in real time. He noted that while the digital platform enhances disease reporting, the logistics and laboratory equipment being provided will enable veterinary officers to respond swiftly and effectively to disease outbreaks.
The Minister stressed that strengthening veterinary services is critical because many emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases originate in animals, making investments in animal health essential for protecting public health, safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods and ensuring national food security.
He disclosed that 16 of the 20 Toyota Hilux pickups will be deployed to the Regional Veterinary Offices—one for each of Ghana’s 16 regions—while the remaining four will support operations at the Veterinary Services Directorate headquarters.
Additionally, the 261 motorcycles will be distributed to districts nationwide to improve the mobility of frontline veterinary officers for disease surveillance, outbreak investigations and rapid response.
Hon. Opoku further indicated that the ICT equipment comprising 115 laptops, 110 tablets and 90 desktop computers will strengthen animal disease surveillance, improve data collection and reporting, enhance communication between district and national veterinary services, and support evidence-based decision-making in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s digitalisation agenda.
He added that the project also includes the supply of laboratory reagents, diagnostic kits, field sampling materials and personal protective equipment, together with the rehabilitation of six veterinary laboratories to enhance disease diagnosis and surveillance capacity across the country.
The Minister noted that the vehicles, motorcycles, ICT equipment and laboratory supplies being symbolically handed over were procured following the release of the first tranche of funding under the Pandemic Fund Project, with FAO implementing the animal health component while WHO leads the implementation of the human health component.
He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to working closely with its development partners to build a resilient veterinary system capable of protecting livestock, improving public health and strengthening Ghana’s agricultural sector against future disease threats.
