FrieslandCampina consortium has been awarded a 5 million dollar grant to boost Nigeria’s dairy sector’s productivity and sustainability.

The Value4Dairy consortium, established in April 2021, is a partnership of four key partners with knowledge in diverse agri-related value chains, namely FrieslandCampina WAMCO (the leading dairy company in Nigeria), URUS (a leader in artificial insemination, genetics, and herd management systems). Barenbrug, (a top provider of grass and forage seeds), and Agrifirm, (a multinational corporation involved in crop farming and animal nutrition).

A statement issued by Ore Famurewa, Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria, revealed this.

Starting with three self-sustaining dairy zones in Oyo, Osun, and Abuja, the private sector consortium has established a model that represents a pathway towards a climate-smart, competitive, self-sufficient, and locally managed dairy sector. In the next years, these zones will become the focal points for the training and assistance of 10,000 smallholders and pastoralists, eventually expanding to encompass 40.000 milk producers.

According to him, each dairy zone would have a warehouse, outlets selling supplies for dairy farming, and two locations for collecting milk. FrieslandCampina WAMCO will gather the collected milk and turn it into wholesome dairy products that will feed over 5 million Nigerians.

Famurewa claims that in addition to transforming the industry, the program will also improve nutrition, increase farmer incomes, decrease greenhouse gas emission intensity, lessen disputes between farmers and herders, and improve water access. Furthermore, the program intentionally addresses gender through specific interventions that enable women to engage in activities and generate extra revenue.

FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s Managing Director, Roger Adou, stated that the company is dedicated to boosting milk output, empowering regional farmers, and advancing the country’s agricultural economy.

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