The Jigawa State Government has announced plans to partner with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) of India to promote livestock development and expand dairy production across the state.

Governor Umar Namadi disclosed this while receiving a high-powered delegation from the NDDB, led by Mr. Rajesh O. Gupta, during a courtesy visit to the Government House in Dutse.

The visit follows the governor’s earlier engagement with Indian dairy institutions during an official trip to India last year, where discussions began on possible areas of collaboration aimed at transforming Jigawa’s livestock sector.

Welcoming the delegation, Namadi described the visit as significant for the state’s agricultural development, noting that engagement with the NDDB forms part of the government’s broader strategy to reposition the livestock sector and improve the livelihoods of farmers and pastoral communities.

“This visit is very important because it follows our earlier engagement in India where we held discussions with NDDB management. Part of the agreement then was that your team would visit the state, and your presence today fulfils that understanding,” the governor said.

Namadi noted that the similarities in climatic conditions between India and Nigeria make it feasible for Jigawa State to replicate elements of India’s successful dairy development model.

“What we observed during our visit to India is that the climatic conditions of India and Nigeria are almost the same. That means climate will not be a challenge in replicating similar initiatives here,” he said.

The governor also stressed the importance of adopting aspects of India’s cooperative-based dairy system, which has helped transform the country into the world’s largest milk producer.

“NDDB has transformed the dairy industry in India, and from what we have seen, it is a model we should study and replicate in our own environment,” he added.

Namadi further emphasised that improving livestock genetics through cross-breeding and artificial insemination could significantly increase milk production in the state.

“You see cows producing less than a litre of milk daily. With improved breeding and better genetics, milk production will increase significantly,” he said.

He also assured the delegation that the state government is ready to invest in knowledge transfer and capacity development for local scientists and extension workers to support reforms in the dairy sector.

“We are ready to send many of our scientists to India because knowledge is power. In India, you can have up to 300 scientists serving farmers in a district. Here, at the ward level, we already have extension workers serving farmers, which means the system can be strengthened and replicated,” he said.

The governor reaffirmed the state’s commitment to fast-tracking the partnership process and expressed hope of receiving a comprehensive proposal from the NDDB soon.

“We expect a comprehensive proposal from your organisation by the end of this month or the first week of next month. Once we receive it, we will immediately begin the next phase of action,” he added.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Rajesh O. Gupta, thanked the Jigawa State Government for the opportunity to visit and assess the state’s livestock ecosystem.

He said the team’s two-day field visit had provided valuable insights into existing livestock practices and opportunities for dairy development in the state.

Gupta explained that India’s dairy success was the result of sustained interventions across the entire value chain, including animal breeding, farmer organisation, processing and the use of modern technology.

“If you look at the Indian dairy system today, we are the number one milk producer in the world, producing nearly 247 million metric tonnes annually,” he said.

The NDDB delegation also expressed readiness to support Jigawa State through technical cooperation, capacity building for scientists and extension workers, as well as the development of pilot dairy projects that could serve as models for wider expansion across the state.