Dairy subsector can lift millions out of poverty in Nigeria – FAO Representative
Abuja - Nigeria - The Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Fred Kafeero, has said that the dairy subsector has a huge potential of lifting millions of people out of poverty in Nigeria if well developed.
Speaking at the World Milk Day (WMD) National Conference in Abuja recently, Mr. Kafeero, said it was high time that dairy stakeholders in Nigeria joined hands to address the challenges facing the dairy subsector in order for it to realize its full potential.
“There is no doubt that the diary sub-sector is crucial in the growth of the overall agriculture sector and getting a large number of people out of poverty; combat malnutrition; and increase incomes particularly of smallholder farmers who make up a large percentage of the industry,” he said.
The event with the theme ‘Sustainability in the Dairy Sector’, was organized by the Commercial Diary Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN) and brought together dairy sub-sector stakeholders from all across the country to commemorate the day and also discuss the future of the industry and its contribution to the economy.
In his key address at the occasion, Mr. Kafeero decried the low levels of milk consumption in the country and Africa at large, and called for joint efforts to address the challenges facing the sector.
With a cattle herd estimated at nearly 19 million cattle, Nigeria has low domestic production of milk of about 500,000 metric tons and a supply gap of 1,200,000 metric tonnes and hence a large portion is imported to cover the deficit, and this is responsible for high prices of processed milk that many cannot afford.
According to Mr Kafeero, Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy with the largest population in African with the greatest potential in agriculture, offers huge domestic market opportunities.
He therefore called upon joint stakeholders’ efforts to boost productivity by increasing investments, effecting timely policy interventions, researching on and production of superior breeds with faster rate of growth and high milk production potential. This should go hand in hand with an enabling environment for investment, requiring improvement of rural infrastructure and addressing security challenges arising from farmer-herder conflicts and the protracted armed insurgency..
Mr. Kafeero urged them to get involved in the legal and policy formulation processes and public awareness-raising in order to ensure the country is self-sufficiency in milk and dairy products production.
On his side, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, commended CODARAN for organizing the event bearing in mind the critical role that the dairy sub-sector plays to the country’s economy.
According to him, the Government is determined to develop the dairy sub-sector in the country and that it has built the capacity of stakeholders along the milk value chain and established a thousand (1000) litres per day processing centres in Taraba, Katsina and Kano states.
“In addition, we have just flagged off a National Animal Breed Improvement Programme aimed to address some of the challenges facing the sub-sector in the country and we are in the process of launching the National Pasture Development Programme,” he pointed out.
Dr. Umakhihe revealed that recently stakeholders met in Abuja recently to review the draft National Dairy Policy aimed to address the mentioned challenges and claim the rightful place of the dairy sub-sector in contributing to Nigeria’s economy.
Contacts:
Emmanuel Kihaule David Tsokar Opeyemi Olagunju
Communication Specialist Communication Specialist Communication and Reporting officer
0802 609 9198 0806 616 2876 0705 174 6628