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FrieslandCampina WAMCO sources 40,000 litres of milk daily in Oyo

By Femi Adekoya
14 June 2017   |   1:59 am
In furtherance of its Dairy Development Programme (DDP), FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, has unveiled its fifth milk collection facility for dairy farmers in Saki, Oyo State, a move that will increase its capacity to over 40,000 litres of raw milk daily from 1720 farmers.

In a statement issued by the company’s Corporate Affairs Director, Mrs. Ore Famurewa, she said, “Since 2011, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has been investing in the Dairy Development Programme and has established the country’s largest milk collection network.

Unveils new DDP facility

In furtherance of its Dairy Development Programme (DDP), FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, has unveiled its fifth milk collection facility for dairy farmers in Saki, Oyo State, a move that will increase its capacity to over 40,000 litres of raw milk daily from 1720 farmers.

Speaking at the commissioning of the facility by Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, the Managing Director, of the company, Ben Langat pointed out: “This is a proof of FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s commitment to strengthen local milk production capacity in Nigeria. We started this investment in 2011 with a meagre supply of a few thousand litres of milk per day, working with a little above 100 farmers and one milk collection centre. Today, with this fifth milk collection centre in Saki, we now have the capacity to collect over 40,000 litres of raw milk daily, from 1720 farmers.”

In a statement issued by the company’s Corporate Affairs Director, Mrs. Ore Famurewa, she said, “Since 2011, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has been investing in the Dairy Development Programme and has established the country’s largest milk collection network. Today, the company collects milk from about 1700 farmers in over 70 communities in Oyo State, who as a result receive good remuneration directly from the company.

“Our DDP model has proven to be quite successful, hence in February 2017, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, Sahel Capital Partners & Advisory and the Oyo State Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the Nigeria Dairy Development Programme (NDDP). The programme aims to strengthen the Dairy Transformation Agenda of government by demonstrating proof-of-scale in Nigeria’s processor-led initiatives for dairy development as modelled by FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s Dairy Development Programme (DDP)” she said.

Already, a large network of dairy farmers (men and women) are currently engaged in the DDP, receiving training in extension services and various forms of improved dairy farming practices particularly targeted at increasing the quality and quantity of raw milk production.

Future expansion plans include the introduction of commercial credit to farmers, building confidence between benefiting farmers and financial institutions for viable agri-business and supporting dairy cooperatives in Nigeria.

These interventions according to the firm, will improve the livelihood of raw milk suppliers in Nigeria particularly in Oyo state by increasing the productivity of their cattle and integrating them into the formal dairy value chain in Nigeria.

In his statement, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, thanked and commended FrieslandCampina WAMCO for pioneering the DDP and applauded the company’s role in the development of dairy farming as a sure way of eliminating poverty and creating entrepreneurs.

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