FG to establish primary livestock value chains

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development says it is currently working on six primary livestock value chains across the country.

Akinwunmi Adesina, minister, agriculture and rural development, who disclosed this at the launch of Diary Development Programme (DDP) by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria plc, held in Iseyin, Oyo State, said over 9,000 small scale holder dairy farmers/pastoralists have so far been registered and mobilised into producer groups all over the country.

The minister, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Joseph Nyagar, revealed that over 36km access roads around milk collection centres had also been rehabilitated to facilitate milk collection in the Wasimi Grazing Reserve of Oyo State as part of its mandate under the Dairy Development Programme (DPP).

He said the transformation agenda of the Federal Government in agriculture was primarily to create jobs, wealth and partnership with agencies and stakeholders in ensuring agricultural and rural development.

While restating the commitment of the Federal Government to create wealth among Nigerians through the agricultural sector, he said the Federal Government was more than prepared to move from the reliance on the petroleum sector, and however urged all stakeholders to support the agricultural programmes to promote dairy industry and improve quality of livestock and farmers.

Peter Eshikena, managing director of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria, said the company was committed to developing dairy farming in the country as well as increase local content.

“With the DDP, our aim is to support Federal Government’s initiative to develop dairy farming in Nigeria by providing the required technical know-how on milk production to Nigerian farmers and also to provide the necessary market for the farmers.

“The challenge with the DDP is that it requires both professional attention and infrastructure to succeed and therefore needs the support of the government,” Eshikena said.

According to him, “we started the collection in Kwara State in August 2010, resulting to the supply of a few thousand litres per day, of excellent quality. Today, the reception of fresh milk has increase to over 15,000 litres.”

He however stated that the company had initiated strategic steps to make the DDP a sustainable nationwide project, saying “we have set up a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with key government

offices like the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

“To support the DDP, over 350 farmers in Fashola, Alaga, Maya-Eruwa and Iseyin environs have been registered and trained on topics ranging from raw milk hygiene, raw milk quality, financial education and benefits of using banking system animal health, tsetse fly control, small holder dairy farming system, feeding and feed conservation/zero grazing.”

Others, he stated, are calf rearing, benefits of artificial insemination and improved pasture development, adding that the training are conducted with DDP core partners: International Fertiliser Development Centre and Agriculture Development (IFDC) and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).

 

 Remi Feyisipo

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