I’ve invested 10 million Euros to boost production – Uba Sani

I’ve invested 10 million Euros to boost production – Uba Sani

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has promised that his
administration will improve the livestock industry, bridge infrastructure
deficit, facilitate access to markets and attract investment.

 

The Governor disclosed that his Government has invested 10
million Euros to establish state-of-the-art Arla Farms in Damau, located at
Kubau local government area in 2023.

 

Represented by the Secretary to Kaduna State Government, Dr
AbdulKadir Muazu Meyere at the Arla-Dano Open Day on Wednesday, he further said
that Arla Farms targets ‘’a 4–5 million kg milk output target at full capacity
annually.’’

 

According to the Governor, there has been a boost in local
milk production as well as the creating of local direct and indirect jobs at
Arla Farms since his administration came on board.

 

Governor Uba Sani recalled that his Government has
instituted a strong institutional framework to ensure the sustainability,
expansion and investment in the agricultural sector.

 

‘’In the livestock subsector, Kaduna State has the Kaduna
State Livestock Regulatory Authority (KADLRA), the Kaduna State Livestock
Transformation Company, and the Kaduna Ranch Development Company, all of which
are designed to work in synergy,’’ he added.

 

The Governor expressed delight to be part of the unveiling
of ‘’the Nigeria Dairy Center of Excellence, the Sedentarization and Climate
change Resilience in Nigeria (SCREEN) Project, as well as commissioning of a
yoghurt factory.’’

 

According to him, “the initiatives will complement the
efforts of his administration in empowering smallholder farmers by equipping
them with modern techniques and technologies to improve milk yield and quality
as well as and supporting local milk sourcing, which translates into more
income for our farmers, more jobs for our youth, and more nutritious products
for our people.’’

 

‘’We hope that the multi-stakeholder collaboration that
birthed the Damau Milk Farm Project will not only help in revamping the project
but also galvanize sustainable economic growth in the dairy value chain in
Nigeria, with Kaduna State in the lead,’’ he said.

 

Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Livestock
Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, noted that the Arla Farm is a result of
the Federal Government`s policy on local content development/backward
integration.

 

The Minister, who represented President Bola Tinubu,
commended the officials of the Federal Government, the Kaduna State Government,
and Arla for this win-win initiative.

 

He lamented that Nigeria currently produces only about 0.7
million litres of milk annually, which is far below the amount required to meet
the nutritional needs of its population.

 

‘’Our average per capita consumption of 8.7 million litres
of milk per year is not only well below the global average but also alarmingly
lower than the World Health Organisation’s recommended intake of 210 litres per
person annually.

 

‘’At the farm level, the productivity gap is just as stark;
the average milk yield of our indigenous cows is only 0.5 to 1.5 litres per
day, compared to the global average of 6.6 litres.

 

‘’Furthermore, the country spends over $1.5 billion annually
importing milk and dairy products, despite having millions of cattle and
capable producers. This is a paradox that we must correct,’’ he promised.

 

According to Alhaji Idi Mukhtar, the Ministry of Livestock
Development was established to unlock the potential of Nigeria’s livestock
value chains, reduce our dependence on imports, mitigate farmer-herder
conflicts, and ensure nutrition and prosperity for our citizens.

 

‘’Today, that vision is taking shape through investments
such as the Arla Farm, as well as collaborations and reforms that are already
yielding results,’’ he said.

 

The Minister noted that ‘’the Damau area is becoming the
dairy hub of Nigeria, thanks to its key dairy interventions, including the Arla
Farm, owned by Arla, the Damau Household Milk Farm, and the Dairy Development
projects.’’

 

He explained that the Damau Household Milk Farm which was
initiated by the Kaduna State Government, is being implemented in collaboration
with investors and development partners.

 

The Minister said that the collaboration involves ‘’ the
settlement of 1,000 households and the provision of basic production items,
such as improved cows, pasture, veterinary services, and other social
amenities.’’

 

‘’Arla serves as the off-taker of milk from the cows. To
ensure resounding success, the Danish Government is sponsoring two dairy
development projects that are building the capacity of local producers and
improving their livelihoods.

 

‘’One of the projects, Partnership for Green and Productive
Dairy in Nigeria, has the objective of entrenching climate-resilient dairy
production amongst Damau Household Milk Farm beneficiaries.

 

‘’The second Project, tagged ‘Sedenterization and Climate
Change Resilience in Nigeria’, is to study and document the learnings of the
Damau Household Milk Farm,’’ he added.

Source: I’ve invested 10 million Euros to boost production – Uba Sani

 - NigerianEye
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