News in brief:
– FrieslandCampina-led Value4Dairy Consortium received a $5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to transform the dairy sector in Nigeria.
– It plans to establish three self-sufficient dairy zones in the country with a focus on empowering local farmers, enhancing productivity, and contributing to food security.
The Value4Dairy Consortium, spearheaded by FrieslandCampina, has received a grant of $5 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate growth and sustainability within Nigeria’s dairy sector.
In a press release, the company said that the grant signifies a significant investment in transforming the nation’s dairy landscape. It is dedicated to enhancing the productivity and overall sustainability of the industry and covers 50% of the Consortium’s latest project. This ambitious initiative envisions the creation of three self-sufficient dairy zones in Oyo, Osun, and Abuja.
These zones will act as central hubs, providing training and support to a targeted 10,000 pastoralists and smallholder farmers. It targets expanding its reach to 40,000 milk producers in the future. Each zone will be equipped with key infrastructure like warehouses, input stores, and milk collection points. They will ultimately facilitate the processing of aggregated milk into nutritious dairy products by FrieslandCampina WAMCO.
Meantime, the project goes beyond mere production as it aims to empower local farmers by providing access to cutting-edge technologies in feed, breeding techniques, sustainable farming practices, and efficient market access. This comprehensive approach is expected to lead to increased milk production at reduced costs to benefit both farmers and consumers.
Furthermore, the program transcends dairy transformation as it contributes to broader goals like food security, higher farmer incomes, and enhanced nutrition for communities. It could also play a key role in reducing conflicts between herders and farmers, improving water access, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Also, the program incorporates targeted interventions to empower women through various activities and income generation opportunities in recognition of their critical role in agricultural development.
The Global Dairy Development Director at FrieslandCampina, Jeroen Elfers, reiterated the company’s unwavering commitment to building resilient local dairy value chains. He welcomed the Gates Foundation grant as a powerful tool to accelerate the project’s progress.
Also, the Managing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Roger Adou, emphasised the Consortium’s ongoing efforts in establishing the largest dairy value chain in Southwest Nigeria. The project aims to empower farmers, boost production, and contribute significantly to the nation’s agricultural prosperity.
