FG approves national dairy policy, lists achievement in sector

Amidst efforts to boost dairy production in the country, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the National Dairy Policy to guide the operations of the sub-sector’s value chain.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, disclosed this yesterday, at a media briefing to commemorate the 2023 World Milk Day.

Abubakar revealed that the policy was approved by FEC to provide direction and guidance for the dairy sub-sector. The minister, who enumerated some of the initiatives introduced by Buhari-led administration to scale up milk production, collection and processing in the country, said tremendous progress has been made in various programmes such as national programmes on pasture development, animal feed and feed security, breeding and conservation, dairy development, among others under the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).

Some of the achievements of the administration in the dairy value chain include: “Capacity building and empowerment programmes for dairy farmers on hygienic milk production and processing in Bauchi and Plateau States.

“Construction and equipping of 13 milk collection centres, two each in Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kwara, Niger and Plateau States. These milk collection centres are awaiting handing over to milk processors.

“Capacity building on pasture production, processing and conservation in two locations each in Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe States.

“Procurement of six Pasture Transportation equipment and six grass choppers for two locations each in Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe States.

“Establishment of 90ha commercial pasture plots (15ha each) and 12ha pilot homestead pasture plots (2ha each) in Adamawa, Bauchi, Kwara, Kaduna, Gombe and Niger States.

“Construction and equipping of 12 feed-milling facilities for the production of ruminant feed in Adamawa, Bauchi, Kwara, Kaduna, Gombe and Niger States and Provision of Milk Cooling Truck and Generator to support milk production in Kano Dairy Cooperative Society.

“Support for Artificial Insemination of dairy cows to improve milk production and breeds of cattle under the National Livestock Breed Improvement Programme (NALBIP) in Kano, Taraba, Plateau, Niger, Kano, Kaduna, Oyo, Osun States and FCT.”

In his remarks, the President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar, said through the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) backward integration programme, the dairy sector was revitalised and has attracted foreign investments and creation of ranches across the country.

Abubakar represented by Director-General of ACCI, Mrs. Victoria Akai, said the two-day event would play host to over 20 selected public and private schools in Abuja, together with other critical stakeholders.

Also speaking, Executive Director of Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), Dianabasi Akpainyang, thanked the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the collaboration in organising the celebration of the 2023 World Milk Day slated for May 31 to June 1, 2023.

Akpainyang urged all critical stakeholders to support the Federal Government in making the nation’s dairy sub-sector more competitive in Nigeria and beyond.

It would be recalled that the United Nations has set aside June 1 of every year as World Milk Day.