Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has hinted that federal government has so far registered over 9,000 smallholder dairy farmers/pastoralists in the country to improve livestock production and increase local diary in Nigeria.
The minister dropped this hint in Iseyin, Oyo state at the launching of a dairy development programme by Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, makers of Peak, Three Crowns and Friso brands of milk.
He declared that the registered smallholder dairy farmers/pastoralists have been mobilized into producer groups in line with the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration transformation agenda towards creating jobs, wealth and partnership with agencies as well as ensuring agricultural and rural development.
Speaking through Dr. Joseph Nyagar, the minister added that the federal ministry of agriculture is currently working on six priority livestock commodity value chains of beef, dairy poultry, small ruminants, leather and pig to be able to fix the structural gaps and strengthen the key activities along the value chains.
Attributing the partnership between his ministry and the WAMCO to series of discussions and interactions between the two bodies, Dr Adesina added that “it is part of the national effort at strengthening the local dairy industry under a public private partnership initiative”,
“The main objective of the MOU is to create necessary institutional and technical improvements in the local diary industry which will stimulate small holder dairy production in the country thereby generating employment and increasing farmers’ income” he said.
The Minister pointed out that “over 9,000 smallholder dairy farmers/pastoralists have so far been registered and mobilized into producer groups,” while over 36km access roads around milk collection centers have also been rehabilitated to facilitate milk collection in the Wasimi Grazing Reserve of Oyo state as part of our mandate under the dairy development programme (DPP)”.
Oyo state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon. Iyiola Ambali while speaking at the programme said the state government recently gave out soft loans to farmers including dairy farmers to improve the quality of lives of the people.