FrieslandCampina to pump N3bn into Nigeria’s dairy development
FrieslandCampina has announced decision to invest N3 billion into its small-holder dairy farmer programme in Nigeria.
The diary maker announced this during the signing of pacts with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) to roll out new dairy programmes designed to safeguard food and nutrients’ security in Nigeria.
Audu Ogbeh, minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Roelof Joosten, CEO of FrieslandCampina signed aFarmer2Farmer agreement during the minister’s two-day working tour of the Dutch company’s facilities that ended May 27, 2016.
According to Ore Famurewa, corporate affairs director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, said “with the Farmer2Farmer programme, FrieslandCampina aims to deploy member dairy farmers to train and advise local dairy farmers on feeding and watering of cattle, calf-rearing, milking hygiene and practice, milking machine maintenance, hoof care, housing and barn design.”
To ensure training for undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary Institutions for FC WAMCO’s ongoing Dairy Development Programme (DDP) in Nigeria, Rahul Colaco, managing director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria, and Martin C. Th.Scholten, member, board of directors of Wageningen University and Research Centre, signed anexpression of interest for academic and technical support.
To step up its current activities, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and FrieslandCampina WAMCO also agreed to renew their MoU on the company’s dairydevelopment programme in June 2016.FrieslandCampina WAMCO intends to provide support to a FMARD subsidiary, Milcopal in Kaduna, under the terms of the revised MoU.
While in the Netherlands, the minister and his team visited FrieslandCampina and the Diary Campus in Leeuwarden, FrieslandCampina Innovation and Research Centre in Wageningen and the Vollering Family Farm.
In his remarks, Audu Ogbeh commended FrieslandCampina for taking the lead in diary development in Nigeria.
Industry watchers say no agric minister has moved this boldly and attracted this much foreign engagement in just two days of travelling to the Netherlands.
“This is good for the image of Nigeria in attracting bigger foreign investment in the agric sector for economic diversification,” the company said
FrieslandCampinaInnovation and Research Centre in Wageningen andthe Vollering Family Farm.
In his remarks, Audu Ogbeh commended FrieslandCampina for taking the lead in dairy development in Nigeria.
Industry watchers say no Nigerian agric minister has moved this boldly and attracted this much foreign engagement in just two days of travelling to The Netherlands.
“This is good for the image of Nigeria in attracting bigger foreign investment in the Agricultural sector for economy diversification,: the company said.
ODINAKA ANUDU