The Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, has said his administration will improve the livestock industry, bridge infrastructure deficit, facilitate access to markets and attract investment, with the establishment of Arla Farms 10 million euros dairy production project in the state.
The governor disclosed that the establishment of the state-of-the-art farm in Damau Household Milk Farm, at the Kubau Council area in 2023, was meant to promote one of the key cardinal objectives of the state on agriculture.
Represented by the Secretary to Kaduna State government, Dr mAbdulKadir Muazu Meyere, at the opening of the Arla project, Sani explained that the farm targets four to five million kilogrammes of milk output at full capacity yearly.
According to the governor, there has been a boost in local milk production, as well as creation of local direct and indirect jobs at Arla Farms since his administration came on board.
He recalled that his government has instituted a strong institutional framework to ensure the sustainability, expansion and investment in the agricultural sector.
‘’In the livestock subsector, Kaduna State has the Kaduna State Livestock Regulatory Authority (KADLRA), the Kaduna State Livestock Transformation Company, and the Kaduna Ranch Development Company, all of which are designed to work in synergy,’’ he added.
The governor expressed delight to in being part of the unveiling of the Nigeria Dairy Centre of Excellence, the Sedentarisation and Climate change Resilience in Nigeria (SCREEN) Project, as well as commissioning of a yoghurt factory.
According to him, the initiatives will complement the efforts of his administration in empowering smallholder farmers by equipping them with modern techniques and technologies to improve milk yield and quality, as well as supporting local milk sourcing, “which translates into more income for our farmers, more jobs for our youth, and more nutritious products for our people.
‘’We hope that the multi-stakeholder collaboration that birthed the Damau Milk Farm Project will not only help in revamping the project but also galvanise sustainable economic growth in the dairy value chain in Nigeria, with Kaduna State in the lead,” he said.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, noted that the Arla Farm is a result of Federal Government’s policy on local content development/backward integration.
The minister who represented President Bola Tinubu, commended the officials of the Federal Government, the state government, and Arla for this win-win initiative.
He lamented that Nigeria currently produces only about 0.7 million litres of milk yearly, which is far below the amount required to meet the nutritional needs of its population.
“Our average per capita consumption of 8.7 million litres of milk per year is not only well below the global average but also alarmingly lower than the World Health Organisation’s recommended intake of 210 litres per person yearly,” he said.
“At the farm level, the productivity gap is just as stark; the average milk yield of our indigenous cows is only 0.5 to 1.5 litres per day, compared to the global average of 6.6 litres. Furthermore, the country spends over $1.5b yearly, importing milk and dairy products, despite having millions of cattle and capable producers.
This is a paradox that we must correct,” he added.
According to Maiha, the Ministry of Livestock Development was established to unlock the potential of Nigeria’s livestock value chains, reduce our dependence on imports, mitigate farmer-herder conflicts, and ensure nutrition and prosperity for our citizens.
