By Chikodi Okereocha
Dairy giant FrieslandCampina WAMCO has recorded 40 tons (40,000 litres) daily fresh milk collection in the country through its Dairy Development Programme (DDP).
Its Managing Director, Ben Langat, made this known as part of the company’s celebration of the “World Milk Day 2020” in line with its grass to glass philosophy.
June 1 is celebrated as World Milk Day. Established by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 20 years ago, it recognises the importance of milk as a global food, and to celebrate the dairy sector.
The theme for World Milk Day 2020 was ‘The 20th Anniversary of World Milk Day’. Latching on this year’s celebration, Langat said: “We have been making steady progress in our commitment to the development of Nigeria’s dairy sector through our Dairy Development Programme.’’
“Our efforts are yielding good results as we continue to keep our promise of providing nourishing dairy nutrition to millions of Nigerians.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Ore Famurewa, said as the first dairy company to collect over 40, 000 litres of fresh milk per day from local farmers, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has taken its thriving DDP, which it started with pastoralists in local communities in Oyo State, and replicated it across other states.
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She said in addition to Oyo State where the company started the Dairy Development Programme 10 years ago, it has expanded its investments and operations to Ogun, Osun, Kwara and Niger states, especially in the last three years and have networked over 7, 000 dairy farmers.
“We remain committed to the goals of sustainable development, including poverty reduction, women empowerment, in the dairy sector and beyond as envisioned by the Federal Government,” Famurewa said, in a statement made available to The Nation on Monday.
According to her, the company’s crossbreeding programme has been yielding good results with over 400 F1 cows born to farms of local dairy farmers. “We have developed dairy farms feeds to ensure all year round pasture for the cows and continued with our biannual Farmer2Farmer programme, facilitated by Dutch dairy experts,” Famurewa added.
In its response to the scourge of the COVID-19 global pandemic, especially among its DDP volunteers and extension workers, the firm’s mitigation strategy has been to consistently create awareness about the pandemic and what to do.
“We have sensitized our farmers on the hazards and symptoms of the coronavirus disease, what to do to keep safe and healthy, and the fact that it is a personal responsibility to protect themselves and family against the virus,” DDP Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, John Adekunle, explained.
Langat reiterated that FrieslandCampina WAMCO was determined to take local milk sourcing to the next level. “We are currently expanding our DDP footprints by intensifying capacity building and constructing more milk collection centres, with the latest in Niger and Kwara states,” he said.
He noted that the company’s major investment was its new ultra-modern yogurt plant specific for raw milk utilisation.
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