Nestle Nigeria in partnership with the International Fertilizer Development Center(IFDC-2SCALE) and CBI Innovations have invested N1.8 billion to boost dairy development in Nigeria.
The investment structured around three pillars, which include better milk, better feed(fodder) and resilient communities, is located at the Paikon Kore Grazing Reserve in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
Speaking at the Nestle Dairy Demonstration Farm Launch in Abuja on Thursday, Wassim Elhusseini, MD/CEO of Nestle Nigeria PLC, said Nestle is dedicated to unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone today and for generations to come.
“We recognize that our success is connected to the wellbeing of the communities in which we live and operate, and therefore ensure that we create societal value alongside our business growth, a concept called Creating Shared Value at Nestle, since 2019.”
The MD noted that in collaboration with two scale and CBI innovations limited and with the support of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, “Nestle in Nigeria has invested over N1.8 billion to improve the livelihoods of pastoralists in and around the 5.4 grazing reserve.”
Presenting the success score card, he said: “We are happy to report that the milk producers participating in this programme have experienced a substantial increase in their household income, which rose from 70,000 Naira to 260,000 Naira between 2021 and 2024.
“This growth is a result of increased productivity driven by improved daily practices and provision of the enabling infrastructure within the communities from an initial collection of 200 liters of milk on June 1, 2021, we have increased our daily collection to an average of 6000 liters at the milk collection and cooling center.”
He noted that the project has aggregated over 1 million liters of raw milk, benefiting 3000 milk producers who are part of the 83 successful dairy cooperatives established under the NLDP.
“This increase in productivity is a direct result of training over 2000 pastoralists on the daily practices vaccinating over 36,000 cattle and constructing 19 boreholes and 28 water crops to ensure consistent access to water,” he said
He further said that the productivity of local cattle from an average yield of one liter per cow per day to potentially over 10 liters through an effective breeding programme and adherence to best daily practices that ensure adequate herd health, nutrition and hydration, will showcase how settled cattle rearing methods can significantly increase production by providing a safe environment for the cattle and their owners, reducing the risks and potential conflicts associated with migration.”
“0ur goal is to achieve a critical mass of milk production of 30,000 liters per day by November 2027 across the FCP and its adjoining dairy farm cluster, thereby making a significant contribution to regional food security,” he said.
Declaring the farm open, Idi Muktar Maiha, minister of livestock development said the event marks another milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards achieving food security, economic growth and sustainable livestock development and transformation.
“The establishment of this model dairy farm demonstrates unwavering commitment to backward integration, fostering local agriculture, supporting Nigerian farmers and contributing to sustainable development goal,” he said.
He said, “The dairy sector holds immense potential in Nigeria as the federal government works tirelessly to diversify our economy.”
.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
