By Ashemiriogwa Emmanuel
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and FrieslandCampina WAMCO Plc, producers of dairy products in Nigeria, have renewed their ties to further improve the Nigerian dairy industry.
This was demonstrated as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Sabo Nanono and the Managing Director (MD) of FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mr Ben Langat, recently signed, in Abuja, the renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Dairy Value Chain Development.
The agreement, which was initially signed in 2011, is to bring together the mutual goals of both parties in expanding economic opportunities in the dairy sub-sector.
Speaking on the renewed signing event, Mr Langat explained that the bilateral agreement was first established to put in place the right support and infrastructure needed to improve local milk sourcing in Nigeria, adding that the renewal of the MoU will double the achievements so far.
He said, “The initial MoU established a structure and model for dairy development in Nigeria. It brought to focus the urgent need to put in place the right infrastructure and expertise that will support local milk sourcing in Nigeria.
“Building on the progress made, the renewal of the MoU enables both parties to replicate the successes achieved in the past 10 years in Oyo, Ogun, Niger, Osun, and Kwara states, in other parts of Nigeria whilst supporting various dairy co-operatives in the country.”
FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s MD further said that the agreement will provide extension services and milestone infrastructure for 30,000 cattle herders and farmers to improve farm productivity and the production of quality raw milk in the country.
“Under the MoU, both parties will provide a networking environment for 30,000 cattle herders and transform dairy farming practices by introducing improved techniques and also providing farmers with extension services to enhance raw milk quality and farm productivity.
“We will introduce commercial credit to farmers and build confidence between benefiting farmers and financial institutions for viable agri-business,” he said.
In his contribution at the ceremony, the Minister, Mr Nanano, stressed the importance of the Dairy Value Chain MoU, pointing out that it will strengthen the smallholder dairy farming business which will help transform the largely nomadic cattle herders into sedentary dairy farmers.
According to him, “We will set up crossbreeding centres to produce quality heifers and strengthen the capacity of pastoralist and Smallholder dairy farmers to produce and supply raw milk to increase the market share of locally produced milk as well as create employable labour and expansion of investment opportunities for farmer prosperity.”
It has been 10 years now since the FMARD and FrieslandCampina WAMCO first signed the MoU. It was then renewed in 2016 upon collaboration on key programs such as the Center for Nigerian Dutch Dairy Development (CNDDD) and the Value for Dairy Consortium to build local expertise and strengthens relevant institutions to be self-sufficient in shaping the Nigerian dairy industry.
The partnership has seen notable progress in diversifying the economy especially the networking of milk suppliers, training, and improving quality of raw milk in the country amid the waning revenue from the nation’s crude oil.
Dipo Olowookere 
Adedapo Adesanya