Stakeholders meet in Kaduna to tackle impediments to viable dairy sector
shuaib sadiq
Milk Value Chain Foundation, an NGO on Friday in Kaduna said it was working to tackle impediments to commercially viable and well-functioning Dairy-Value-Chain in Nigeria.
Dr Ishaq Bello, Project Manager of the Foundation stated this while addressing stakeholders at the opening of the meeting in Kaduna.
He said the Foundation is a five-year dairy development plan being driven by a partnership between Arla Foods, Danish Food and Agricultural Council/SEGES, CARE Denmark and CORET in Nigeria.
Also, 1,309 Lagos farmers benefit from N1.2bn Fadama's support.
"The project is jointly funded by Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and Arla Foods.
"It's objective is to establish a commercially viable and well-functioning Dairy Value Chain in Nigeria.
"The Project will achieve this through training and capacity building for livestock farmers to produce more and high-quality milk and other dairy products.
"The project will develop a market for local dairy products; and improved collaboration among key stakeholders in the dairy value chain.
"The aim is to establish a sustainable business model for milk production from family farms to support improved livelihood for families and their cattle," he said.
According to him, the "Milky Way project (MWP)" has a strong commitment to share knowledge and best practices with all stakeholders to ensure a sustainable dairy industry in the country.
The manager noted that the expected outcomes of the project is the creation of a dairy value chain forum (DVCF) where actors in the downstream, midstream and upstream segments of the chain would be meeting.
He said the meeting which is the second DVCF meeting being attended by some 85 key actors representing a wide range of stakeholders in Agriculture and livestock sectors.
"These include milk producers, dairies, cooperatives, policy makers, service providers and suppliers, research institutions, extension services, development partners and financial institutions.
"The stakeholders are expected to evolve workable solution to address the challenges and bottlenecks through improved framework and collaboration among stakeholders for sustainability of the sector.
"The main issues to be discussed include prospects, challenges and way forward for the dairy value chain in Nigeria; lessons learned from other value chain fora, policy and funding/incentives in the Nigerian dairy industry, and women's contribution in the dairy value chain.
"The DVCF, which is scheduled to meet biannually, would recommend a number of actions to be implemented under the overall guidance of the elected Steering Committee of DVCF until the next meeting in May 2020.
The Nigeria News Agency reports that 450 households are expected to directly benefit from the training program in Kaduna State.
The immediate target of the program is to improve the quality and quantity of milk production per cow per day from the current 0.75 liters to 4.00 liters per cow per day for a beginning.
NAN reports that stakeholders including veterinarians, various Agriculture and National Livestock Institutes, women cooperatives, officials of Federal and Kaduna State Ministries of Agriculture and security agencies are participating in the meeting.
The meeting is expected to specifically develop an action plan that would ensure adequate feeds, infrastructure, power, security, financing, upgrade of genetic and the service sector to enhance greater Milk yield.
NAN reports that Anne Anderson of Care Denmark is expected to present a position paper "Dairy Value Chain Forum-Lessons learned from organizing Multi multi-stakeholders fora.
Also, a Kaduna based dairy farmer, Idi Murkhtar of Zaidi Farms is expected to present a paper: Milk Valu Chain in Nigeria; Challenges faced and possible solutions.
The third paper, Milk maids in Kaduna: challenges and solutions to be presented by Asma Begum Mirza.
Edited & Vetted By: Tukur Muntari.
Related Topics:dairyKadunaStakeholders
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