Experts seek fresh investments in dairy farm

By Yetunde Oladeinde

Nigerians have been encouraged go into full scale production of dairy farming in order to save the country foreign reserve expended on import.

Speaking with a cross section of experts at the just concluded international dairy summit in Lagos, they advised that the capital outlay for dairy production could be sourced with little or no difficulty if the right feasibility or bankable project is carried out.

According to Adenike Akinyemi, the president of the Netherlands Institution Alumni Association of Nigeria and initiator of the summit tagged: ‘Innovation in diary value chain for economic development in Nigeria,’ he said, “There are so many opportunities and we are working to make the sector better for the operators.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Mrs. Yemi Akeredolu, an animal scientist who represented the Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, noted that there are so many untapped opportunities in the sector.

“As the State Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, we appreciate the Netherlands government for cooperating with the Nigerian government. I appreciate the interest in the dairy industry in Nigeria. The Federal Government has done a lot of things for the sector. They have been doing a lot to support the dairy farmers.”

Mr. Daniel Maigari, former Kaduna Commissioner also on the same page with previous speakers, observed that “If you look at the issues that we battle with in terms of nutrition, population growth you would see a relationship. But we have not approached farming seriously and the reason why we have not been able to do that is simply because we have not brought knowledge into farming. Without knowledge we would continue to use the diagnostics of farming used 300 years ago. Life has moved far beyond all that. “

For Taiwo Adeoye, President of Animal Science Association of Nigeria and Managing Director at Ursla Nigeria Limited, he described the livestock sector as a goldmine but many are yet to tap from the opportunities available. “There are enormous potentials in agriculture especially in the livestock sun sector. I would say that the inconsistency of government policy is not helping issues. Also we need to bring together the relevant potentials. For instance, we cannot continue with the way we are doing things concerning diary or cattle and we expect better results.”

It was the former governor of Adamawa, Vice Admiral Nyako, a Fulani himself that said we are going nowhere if we continue to produce cattle the way it is being done. For instance, our white Fulani is only giving about a litre a day.

Adekunle Olayiwola John who spoke on behalf of the MD of Friesland Campina, said, “The company is a foremost producers of dairy products since 1934. In conjunction with the Federal Ministry of agriculture  as well as other partners , have worked to improve local production by means of further development of dairy farming, pond.

Mrs. Foluke Ademokun, Secretary to the Board of trustees of the Netherlands alumni took time to talk about the gains, opportunities and challenges in the sector. She urged the stakeholders to come together to transform the sector and create more opportunities in the sector.