By Adedapo Adesanya
FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc is set to launch the country’s first expertise centre for dairy development.
The initiative, Centre for Nigerian Dutch Dairy Development (CNDDD), will focus on improving dairy productivity and sustainability throughout the entire dairy value chain in Nigeria, based on Dutch expertise gained for more than a century.
Speaking on this, Mr Ben Langat, Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, explained that the new centre will foster cooperation among dairy stakeholders.
In a statement issued in Lagos, Mr Langat said, “The Centre for Nigerian Dutch Dairy Development will engage and promote cooperation between the government, private sector, academics, students and dairy farmers.
“It will undertake activities that will improve the dairy chain in Nigeria, focusing on both the upstream and downstream sides of the chain.”
The CNDDD will be the expert research and training institute for dairy development in Nigeria. He explained that it will focus on breeding, farm and feed management, quality control, and productivity (yield per cow).
The MD explained that the Nigerian dairy sector presently faces major challenges, he noted that “FrieslandCampina WAMCO in partnership with the Federal Government is determined to transform the sector from its current subsistence phase to a commercial quality-focused model.
“FrieslandCampina WAMCO envisages that as the country’s population continues to grow, the establishment of a strong agricultural sector is one of the pillars that will bring economic and social stability in Nigeria.
This requires a fundamental long-term development of all areas needed to create a strong effective and efficient dairy sector based on milk yield, milk quality, breeding strategy, feeding, collection infrastructure, and a route to the market,” he added.
Mr Langat said that with is expertise and philosophy, it would deliver on its objectives, he said, “From our experience, close co-operation between the public and private sectors has proven to be a key success factor.”
“FrieslandCampina is pleased to be able to share its 150 years’ experience in dairy farming and production with its Nigerian partners through the CNDDD.”
Dipo Olowookere